What Could Have Been
by Sidaene Starshine
Summary: [COMPLETED. Working on the sequel! Originally posted on my Wattpad (Sidaene).] Being a teenager, love is a difficult matter to handle. Especially when you fall in love with the wrong person and it puts you on the wrong foot with the next Queen of Ever After.
1. Chapter 1

PEEP! BEEP! PEEP-BEEP!

The alarm's ringing sound echoes through the tiny cottage in the woods, frightening the birds and animals outside. There is a loud knock on the door before it opens.

"For Grimm's sake, turn the alarm off!" mr Badwolf barks angrily as he strides over to the bedside table and picks up the mirrorphone.

"Nnggh... Let me sleep, dad... Summer's not over yet..." the girl groans half asleep, half awake.

"How do you..turn it off? Argh!" he growls at the ringing screen as it won't budge at the touch of his large fingers.

"Wake up Cerise, otherwise you will be late!"

Cerise turns around in her bed, pulling up the duvet over her head. She is still so very tired and could most likely go back to sleep if she just closed her eyes for a little bit. She had dreamt that dream again.

"Cerise."

"I want to sleep, dad."

"Is that so?" there's an huge lot of extra weight on the bed as he sits down on the side of her bed. "Then you will be late for school, my girl."

Cerise sits up straight, faster than a firework. "What?!" her grey eyes are wide in horror, her hair a complete mess. "Why didn't you wake me sooner? Why didn't my alarm go off?"

Mr. Badwolf chuckles and drops the mirrorphone in front of her on the duvet and rises from the bed. "It was ringing. Is, in fact. I can't turn it off for some reason."

Cerise turns off the alarm without any trouble and then gets out of bed. "How late am I for school?"

"Oh you're not late, I was joking with you. But you better get ready because we need to leave soon."

"Thanks dad", she gives him a kiss on the cheek and walks out from her room, down the stairs to their cosy kitchen.

* * *

"Here we are! The portal to Ever After!" Madeleine Hatter giggles as she jumps up and down, pointing at the marvellous spiral hole in front of them. She turns to look at her friends, Bunny and Alistair. "What ever is the hatter with you two? Hm?"

Bunny sighs and looks down at her shoes. "It won't be the same without you, Maddie..."

The daughter of the Mad Hatter giggles and hugs Bunny tightly. "This is not goodbye, you know. But yes I will miss you too. Tell me, why aren't you transferring too?" she turns her head to the side, thinking.

"Leave Wonderland? Have you completely lost your head?" Alistair says with a sad smile, knowing she would get the joke. "Of course we're not transferring. And you know why."

"Yes yes, I know. It would just be so much more fun if the four of us would go together", Maddie replies and takes out a cup of tea from her curly hair. "Oh don't look like that, you knew she would be going too."

Bunny shakes her tiny little head. "I-I didn't know..."

Alistair takes her hand and smiles. "Don't be sad, Bun. It's not a warewell, you know."

"And not forever", Bunny sighs. "But ohh..."

"Yippie here she comes!" Maddie suddenly cries out and points with her whole arm towards the pink and purple hills where the princess of Wonderland approached. "Yohooo, Liiizzie!" Maddie sings out and waves with her whole arms, spilling out tea all around herself.

Lizzie Hearts stops before her three friends, looking more wonderlandiful and spellbinding than ever before. She smiles happily, knowing that her future is full of new things she could never had imagined. But when she sees Bunny's sad eyes she begins to cry. And not the pretty kind of cry.

"D-don't look like thaaaat, wh-why can't you be hap-happyyy for mee!"

"Oh Lizzie, I am happy it just that... that... Oh..." Bunny is unable to finish her sentence because she starts crying too. "I miss you alreadyyyy!"

"Aawwww Bunny-bunbun!" Lizzie whimpers and embraces her tiny friend in a tight hug. "I will miss you too."

A soft ringing sound starts to echo around them. Bunny and Lizzie both dry their cheeks with napkins and giggle softly at their emotional outburst. Maddie drinks her tea and shouts out: "Grouphug!"

"Have a wonderful term, you too", says Alistair as they all hug.

"You too, Alistair." Lizzie smiles.

Maddie grabs her by the arm and waves at the other two. "Say hi to pops for me!"

Alistair nods. Bunny waves goodbye and sniffs as they watch their two best friends walk through the portal to Ever After.

"I am so hexcited about starting school! Aren't you, Lizzie?" Maddie asks as they travel. All kinds of things passes by, chairs and pianos, even cakes and horses too. There's an explosion of different colours surrounding them. "I can barely wait to see Raven again, we had so much fun this summer."

Lizzie smiles at her and sighs. "I only hope that it will be better than in Wonderland. And that I will be working with fashion."

Maddie looks up at her friend and giggles, her bubbly laughter echoing through the portal all the way back to Wonderland.


	2. Chapter 2

The stairs complains as Cerise walks down and enters the small, cozy kitchen. There is a sweet and warm scent in the air of newly baked buns and bread. She takes a deep breath and smiles, revealing her wolf like fangs.

"Good morning, C", says her sister who sits by the table, eating her breakfast. "Hexcited yet?" She winks at her with a smile.

"Morning Ramona", Cerise walks over to the oven where her mother stands, waiting for the bread to become just right. "Morning mum."

Red embraces her youngest daughter and kisses her forehead. "Good morning, did you sleep alright?"

Cerise nods and sits down at the table, opposite to her sister. Ramona pokes her cheek.  
"You're awfully quiet, C. What's up?"

Cerise sighs. "School starts today, college.."

"Yeah? You are a big pup now C. Ohh you're going to love it!" Ramona winks at her with her mouth full of bread.

Cerise smiles back, a tiny smile. Red places a basket on the table with warm bread from the oven and Cerise takes one piece of bread. It's very warm against her palms, almost burning. She closes her eyes, sighing.

"Aww come on sis, chin up", Ramona says while chewing. "What could possibly go wrong? Ever After College is a spelltacular place, you'll see."  
"Thanks", Cerise says and opens her eyes, looking at her sister. "I just don't know if I am ready."

Ramona chuckles and ruffles her hair playfully. "You were born ready, trust me."

Cerise smiles. "Yes, maybe you are right. I am part wolf after all and wolfs has to be ready at all times."

All three laughs and giggles. Red takes out another load of bread and puts them in another basket. Cerise finally begins to eat her bread and looks around the room, looking at all the details to take everything in.

 _It's not much, what we have, but it is enough. Oh Grimm, I'm going to miss this place. Mums' cooking and dads' tales, running in the forest together with Carmine..._

"Alright, are my girls ready?" Mr. Badwolf stands in the doorway to the backdoor, not yet transformed into his wolfself.

"Almost?" Cerise replies, still eating.

"Ready as ever after", Ramona leaves the table. "Thanks for the food mum, you're fairest." She hugs and kisses her mother on the cheek, then walks over to Cerise and pats her head. "See you later at school, little C."

"Wait a spell! I thought we were going together?"

Ramona smiles and hugs her sister tightly. "Not yet. Society isn't ready for that yet."

"Right... Our family secret..." She sighs, hugging Ramona before she joins their father at the door.

Mr. Badwolf looks at her and Red, smiling. "Don't worry ladies. We have survived this long, I'm sure our secret will remain a secret for many years to come." He growls slightly as he transforms into a wolf. "Bye my darling. See you at class, Cerise."

"See you later, you guys", Cerise waves to her father and sister. When they walk out of the backdoor a strange feeling takes place inside her. Her eyes widens a little and she wraps her arms around her stomach.

 _I am empty again. Whenever they leave something big leaves me too. Why do we have to be apart from each other, when we belong together? Why can't I just be both? I am both, I know... I don't want to hide it anymore._

 _"_ Mum I don't think..I want to go..." she whispers as she clutches hard to her belly.

"Oh sweetie, everything will be okay", Red wraps her arms around Cerise and hugs her. "Come, I have something for you." She takes her by the hand and leads her to the oven and sink. "I know that it isn't easy for you or Ramona, but believe me when I tell you that you two are the fairest girls ever after. Your father and I may not be of Royal perfection, but do you know what? No-one is." She smiles at her daughter who sniffs and dries her eyes with the back of her hand. "Now, here is a little surprise for you. Close your eyes."

Cerise shuts her eyes together, biting her lip, most hexcitedly about what the surprise could be. She hears her mother taking out something from a secret drawer, it sounds so smooth and soft. Then she feels it being put around her, covering her shoulders.

"Oh my fairy godmother! Mum!" Cerise gasps, not looking yet.

Red chuckles. "You can open your eyes now. Do you like it?"

"Like it? Are you kidding?" Cerise spins around in a circle before jumping on her mother, hugging her happily. "I love it mum, thank you so much!"

"It's my old hood. Well it's yours now", Red smiles. "Let me have a look at you. Stand back juuust a little bit... There... Aaah Cerise, it fits you perfectly!"

Cerise smiles wide and happily, pulling up the good over her head. "Oh my..! I LOVE what you did with the hood!"

"I made it bigger, so you can cover your ears when you are in school." Red smiles, tears twinkling in her eyes. "Oh but look at the time! You'll be late! Come on Cerise, here is your basket - full of bread", she winks and chuckles. "And now you listen very closely to me dear."  
Cerise holds onto the basket firmly, listening very closely to what her mother might say next. "Yes?"

"Follow the path to the school and no detours or shortcuts."

Cerise laughs. "You've got mum. But what about all my... stuff. How is going to get there? I mean I can't carry it."

"Ah, your father and I will take care of it, don't worry. Run along now, you can't be late for school on the very first day!"

They give each other a long hug. Cerise walks towards the front door, places her hand on the doorknob and pushes the door open.


	3. Chapter 3

_Ahh. Look at them. Just_ _ **look**_ _at them. So many, brand new, fresh students for my -our- school. And look at that sky, so perfectly blue and aah, that sun. So bright and shiny. This will be a wonderful year, yes, I can feel it in ever fiver of my being. Yes. Might as-well et started. Hrrm-mmh._

Milton Grimm peers out over the students before him. Everyone stops with whatever they are doing and a silence of respect and wonder falls among them. A smile spreads on his lips, he opens his arms wide and begins to speak.

"It is almost as if it was yesterday that I stood here and declared the doors open for the first time ever after," he began with a mighty, loud voice. "But it is not 1812 anymore. And even though such a long time has passed since then, our school still stands tall and proud, glorious and welcoming to all kinds of fairytale creatures and beings."

 _And pause for effect..._

"Never has our teachers fairyfailed with anyone of our students, and never has a student fairyfailed under our protective and guiding wings. As I look at you now - yes I mean all of you, even you three," he points towards three small pigs who cheers at their received attention. "-I know that not one of you will fairyfail either... Given that each and everyone of you sign the Storybook of Legends and fulfil your destiny." he clears his throat and straightens his tie as a unison gasp comes from the crowd. He fires off one of his happiest and most proud smiles. "Yes, you heard just right. This year, at Ever After High, you all will take the pledge up here at this very stage, and sign the most important book there ever was."

A loud cheer of _hurray's_ and _woohoo's_ is given, together with a few _oh-no's_ and _wait-a-spell's_. Headmaster Milton Grimm smiles wide of joy as he bathes in the students' cheering. Then he clears his throat, again, and hushes the crowd with a single move with his hand. Everyone's eyes widens in hexcitement over what he will say next.

"One of our hexcellent teachers, Baba Yaga, will soon join me upon the stage and provide you all with dorm rooms and tell you with whom you shall share them with. But first," he pauses again, for effect and the crowd is again silent. "Welcome to Ever After High!"

All the students bursts out in loud and happy cheers and gives their headmaster a huge round of applause as he steps away from the podium at the stages front. The cheers and whistles are soon swapped to the sounds of amazed _oooh's_ and _wow_ - _look-at-that_! when an old, but fair, lady with long grey hair floats forward to the podium. She manages to silence the crowd with a single twitch in her eyebrows.

"Students! When I call your name I want you to raise your hand so I can see you," her voice is full of wisdoms and knowledge yet old and sweet at the same time. She looks at the young fairytale-teens and can't help but to smile as she continues to talk, "and I will then tell you with whom you are to share a dorm room with. Now, let's start... Ginger Breadhouse! Yes, raise your hand, don't be shy..."

A small arm slowly reaches up in the air.

"Ah, there you are. You share dorm room with Melody Piper. Yes, you may raise your hand as-well, go on. Good. Now. Next is one of the Charming-brothers..."

A unison _aaawwww_ is heard amongst all the girls in the crowd and Baba Yaga must snap with her fingers three times to silence them before she can continue.

* * *

When the welcome-speech was over, all students began exploring their school and new home for the following year. Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, has found the castleteria, where she now sits together with two of her bestest of friends ever after. Maddie is cheerful as ever while Raven barely even looks at her tea cup.

"What's wrong, Raven?" Cerise asks, tugging at the front of her hood.

"It's just..." Raven begins and sighs, "I'm just so sick of everyone thinking I'm so ' _evil_ ' just because my mum was... It's _**not fair**_!" she cries out and accidentaly makes her hocus latte explode all over the table. The Girls quickly wipes the mess away with some tissues.

"No-one thinks you're evil Raven," says Cerise. "But I know the feeling... Sort of anyway."

"Yess, now you're just talking crazy!" Maddie giggles and hugs Ravens' arm.  
Raven chuckles in surprise. "The daughter of the Mad Hatter calls _me_ crazy? Thank you girls, you're the best. I just wish that the others would see me they way you do."  
Maddie giggles. "Will you stop with the worry-flurry? Everyone at school loves you!"

Raven sighs and shrunks down a couple of centimeters. "Maddie, now you're the one to talk crazy. Do you even know what happened when I entered the school this morning?"

* * *

 _Oh hex... The door is huge! I'm still not sure about this... I only hope that this year, that_ _**this time**_ _, people will treat me differently than before. And if not, I'll have to show them. Alright, here goes nothing._

Raven reaches out for the doorknob and as her fingers touches it, the large door magically opens and reveals for her the enchanting halls of her new high-school. Raven is blown away at the first sight. So many new people, so many possibilities waiting for her.

 _Yes, I Think this might be going just right after all._

But no. As soon as she sets her foot inside the entrance hall everyone stops. A tiny pig who happens to stand right in front of her, looks up and and when his eyes meets hers, he screams in fear.

"It's Raven Queen!" he shrieks as he runs away, quicker than Lightning.

Another boy calls out from somewhere deeper within the hallway. "She is EVIL!"

Raven turns to look at all the students running about and screaming for help. Her heart beating fast and hard in her chest. She reaches out for them and opens her mouth to say something, but she doesn't know what.

A pretty girl surrounded by fluffy lambs cries out to everyone that they should look for protection. And as the hallway is emptied on people, Raven is left all alone by herself while their screams echoes in the halls.

 _So much for showing them, alright... Oh hex, what am I doing here?_

* * *

Cerise nods and takes a sip from her hocus latte. "I know just the feeling. I ask myself that question a lot. Most of the time I feel like I shouldn't even exist."

Raven grabs her hand firmly. "That is serious crazy-talk, Cerise! Ofcourse you should exist. You are an enchanting person and one of my bestest friends ever after, not to mention how spelltacularly cool and athletic you are. You simply are, the best one could ask for."

"Correctly!" Maddie agrees and points at the two girls with both her hands, giggling. "You two worry-florries really have to sort out your scares and frights, neither of you are bad or evil or-"

A sudden ringing noise interrupts her. Maddie throws her arms up above her head, smiling wide of joy. "YAAY! Tea-time!"

Both Raven and Cerise laughs at their friend as she begins to set the table for a tea-party. They don't know how she manages to do it, but Maddie takes out a tea-pot and tea-cups for everyone from her hat. Her pet, a tiny mouse from Wonderland, hops down from her shoulder and sits on the table. Maddie giggles as she fills each cup with tea, and even the floor gets some.

"Whyy yes Earl Grey, you clever doormouse! This _is_ a new dress!"

Raven takes her cup of tea and cheers Cerise with it, who clinks her cup with Raven's.

"Hey Raven, you look gord!" a boy in glasses waves to her as he approaches their table. When he realises what he just said, he nervously scratches his neck. "I-I mean you look great. I don't even know what gord _is_..."

Raven peers up at him and almost melts as her purple eys meets his comfortable brown eyes.  
Cerise covers her mouth as she chuckles quietly at her.

Raven smiles a little smile. "I'd offer you a seat but I'm 'evil'. To sit here you'd have to be pretty daring."

"Ah - no. Raven, I'm Dex. Dexter Charming. Daring Charming is my brother."

Raven raises her eyebrows in surprise and blushes very very slightly at the misunderstanding. "Oh, well, hey Dexter. This is Cerise and that is Maddie."

Maddie quickly gives him a cup of tea and clinks her own cup with his. "Welcome!"  
"Thanks, Maddie," Dexter sits down on the chair opposite to Raven and takes a sip from the cup. "Woa! This is hexcellent!"

"So, Dexter," Raven clears her throat. "Who are you sharing rooms with?"

"Me? Oh um.. I'm sharing with Hunter..."

"Huntsman?" Cerise fills in.

Dexter nods. "You're in the same story, right? The Little Red Riding Hood?"

Cerise nods.

"Well then you are lucky," Dexter smiles. "Hunter seems to be a really gord- uh... nice guy. He's very good with animals."

"Oh yay..." says Cerise with her most un-hexcited voice ever after.

Dexter shrugs a little and turns to Raven again. "Who are you sharing with?"

"Oh I'm-" Raven begins to answer the question but is interrupted by one of the most enchanting voices ever after.

"Ohh Raaaveeennn!"

At that point every other sound and noise stops and everyone's eyes turns to the staircase at the middle of the castleteria. Down those stairs comes none more important than the future Queen of Ever After together with her future husband. Her hair is like the purest of white gold, her skin is like the most enchanting snow and her lips are red as blood. Every princess and damsel wants to be like her and every prince and knight (or whatever after they might be) crushes on her - except for Daring. He only seems to crush on himself.

Dexter is very quick on his feet as the two Royals approaches them.

"Dex, were you sitting with these?" asks Daring.

"Oh uh...no?" Dexter replies uncomfortably.

"Raven, how's every enchanted thing?"

"Apple White, good to see ya." Raven says cheerfully. "Hey Daring."

"I have to you warn you," Daring nods to Raven. "don't stare at the teeth. I just had them whitened." He gives them all a charming smile (which covers half the castleteria in a bright whiteness) and then sees a flash of red before his eyes. He is very quick to sit down opposite to the red hooded girl. "Hey Cerise," he says with his most charming voice. "How's it going?" he winks and gives her his most charming smile.

Cerise is blinded by the brightness and whiteness of his extremly white teeth, and growls back at him. Daring looks confused, and opens his mouth to ask if she is alright, when she quickly begins to cough.

"Sorry... I-I have a cold..." Cerise whispers, pulling up her hood over her head even more before leaving the table and the castleteria.

Daring looks at her figure disappear amongst the crowd.

"You, colourful one, is everything well with her?"

Maddie giggles. "With Cerise? Whyy yes, she is just shy. Nothing you should worry-flurry about. Tea?"

"Uh no, thank you." Daring says and smoothly takes out his golden mirror to admire himself. "Gorgeous me."

Apple giggles at her future Prince and claps her hands together, moving closer to Raven. Raven, who thinks Apple is acting a little bit weird, takes a step back and accidentally bumps into Dexter.

"Ah- sorry, Dexter." she says nervously.

"N-no problem," he replies and scratches his neck nervously.

"Sooo Ravennnn, what's your first class tomorrow?" Apple asks most hexcitedly.

Raven takes out her handbag and, after a minute of searching, she takes out a list. "Um... History of Evil Spells."

"Oh that is so perfect for you!" Apple sings with her happiest voice.

Raven frowns. _Who do I have to take a class like that?_

Appel opens her mouth to say something more but Daring is faster than her.

"Well ladies, it was most enchanting to meet you, but I need to tend to my looks. Charm you later!"

"Y-yeah I should probably go too... Bye, Raven." Dexter smiles, waving as he walks away together with his brother and Apple.

"See you later," Raven replies softly.

She returns to her tea, which has now gone cold but that doesn't bother her. Earl Grey, the clever little doormouse, squeeks.

"Yess I agree with you, this is a hattastic day!" Maddie cheers and clinks her cup with the mouse's.

Raven rests her head in her palm, looking at the way that Dexter Charming took, and smiles.

 _Maybe, just maybe... this will be a hexcellent year._


	4. Chapter 4

"Aaaand...there. That's the last of 'em."

Briar, a tall and gorgeous princess, steps back and admires her work. The wall before her is covered with posters and flyers; there is lots of glitter, lots of hot pink and lots of roses. Briar smirks, dusting off her hands.

"Erm excuse me? Hello?" a sweet voice calls to her.

Briar turns around and her smile disappears. "Ah. Hey there, Blondie."

The bright-golden haired girl smiles widely at being known by someone she hasn't had the fortune to meet before. She nods and giggles as she starts talking. "That's right, I'm Blondie Lockes!"

"Hey," Briar greets her again and returns to gaze upon the wall.

Blondie takes a step closer to Briar, peers up at her and smiles her sweetest and happiest smile ever after. "Can I interview you? You see, I have a mirrorcast-show," Blondie starts to speak very quickly as she is overly hexcited. "I'm a reporter and headmaster Grimm has given me the post of Ever After High's very own reporter, and I saw you and-and you are so fairest and-and I'm just sooo very curious about what you did to that wall!" she points at the wall and hocus focuses her mirrorpad on it.

"Wait a spell...!" Briar stares at the girl. Her cheeks are slightly red from all the compliments she just recieved, but she is still staring. "Are you interviewing now, already? I haven't even had time to refresh my makeup!"

Blondie giggles as Briar takes out a small mirror and her mascara and begins to refresh herself. "Ready?"

"Mhm-mhm!" Briar nods and strikes a pose for the mirrorpad.

Blondie clears her throat. "Welcome fairytale-friends to the first report of Blondie Lockes! Today we have the fortune of having... Uh... What did you say your name was again?"

"Briar!"

"Yess, as I said. Today we have the fortune of having Briar telling us whatever after has happened to that wall!" she points at the wall again, her arm is shown on the mirrorpad. "Are those...party-invites?"

Briar nods. "Oh yes it is. I'm hosting a party at the end of this month to celebrate the beginning of high-school, and also, I'm hosting another party this Friday in my dorm room!" she cheers happily and steps back against the wall, patting a bunch of flyers. "All the details is here, so make sure to come here and read about it!"

Blondie zooms in on Briar as she steps further back to the wall. "Parties? What a spelltacular idea! But why two?"

" _Hello_! The daughter of Sleeping Beauty!" Briar refers to herself. "If I'm gonna catch z's for a hundred years, I've gotta live it up now!" she snaps with her fingers and strikes a pose with her hands on her hips.

"Why ofcourse! That's why there are so many roses around you!" Blondie exclaims. "So there you have it; party at Briar Beauty's dorm room this Friday! And that was all for now. Thank you for watching Blondie Lockes' Mirrorcast Show! Chaaaarm you later!"

Blondie presses the 'stop recording' button and the video is saved on the mirrornet.

"That was most enchanting Briar, thank you."

"No-no thank _you_ , you just spread my invites to the whole school!" Briar skips forward and hugs her. "Do one thing for me, oh pretty please, hand these out." She hands over a new load of flyers and invitations to both her parties to Blondie, who almost falls down on her bum because of the extra weight.

"I want everyone to come!"

Blondie nods. "Count on me, Briar."

They hug each other again before going in separate ways. Blondie heading right and Briar heading left.

Briar smiles confidently as she walks trough the halls. All the boys winks at her and drools at the sight of her (except for Daring, he only drools over himself), while all the girls admires her and secretly envies her. She truly is a Beauty, a party princess, and the best friend ever after to their future Queen - Apple White.

 _This is going to be the most enchanting year_ , Briar thinks to herself as she deeply inhales the sweet scent of a rose that a red haired prince just gave her. She smiles as him and whispers " _Thank_ _you_ " and blows him a kiss. The prince's cheeks turns red. He begins to stutter and **POFF**!... He turns into a frog!

"Blast!" he says with the most British accent ever after, reaching out to Briar. She simply shrugs at him and keeps walking.

When she arrives at the courtyard she is stunned by all the beautiful rose bushes that grows there. She smells each and every one of them. They all smell very nice but no other rose beats the one she holds in her hand. Briar takes it to her nose and inhales its sweet scent. _Mmh_ _perfect_...

"Briar!"

 _Huh_? Briar looks up from her rose to see Apple running towards her. "Hey Apple, how's every enchante-"

"Briar! No time for chit-chat," Apple says while catching her breath. Her eyes falls on the rose. "Who gave you that?"

Briar blushes very slightly, without knowing it and opens her mouth to speak but Apple interrupts her.

"Never mind," she says. "I need to talk to you."

"Oh! I need to talk to you too!" Briar says with a big smile.

"Yes well, but what I have to say is more important." Apple exclaims.

Briar frowns. "What ever after could be more important than a party?"

"What are you talking about Briar? No, come on. We need to go to our dorm room..." Apple says while grabbing her best friend forever after by her arm and dragging her back to their dorm.

* * *

 _Aahh-wahh... Oh gord I'm hexhausted. Haha now I sound like that cute guy Dex- I mean... I should probably head back to the dorm room now..._

Raven yawns loudly again and stretches her arms backwards, then upwards to the sky. After Apple left the castleterai together with Daring and Dexter, she and Maddie went to look for Cerise. They searched through the whole school but without any luck and they even asked her roommate Cedar Wood if she had seen Cerise anywhere. "Not since we got our dorm-room", had been her reply. Being the daughter of Pinocchio Cedar cannot tell a lie and since she hadn't seen Cerise she couldn't be of any more help. So Maddie had gone to do some more school-exploring while Raven had gone to the courtyard to give their search a rest. They both figured that Cerise wanted to be alone and would come and find them when she was ready.

"I wonder what time it is..." Raven thought out loud.

She rises up from the grass where she ha been laying down, and brushes off her dress from dirt and grass. There are still students outside and the sun is still shining, but the air is chilly. Raven quickly walks back inside and soon she stands outside the door to hers and Maddie's dorm room.

She knocks on the door and opens it. "Helloo, Maddie?"

But the one she greets isn't the daughter of the Mad Hatter.

"Welcome home, roomie!" sings the fairest voice ever after.

Raven walks in and chuckles, shaking her head. "Good one Apple. I'm rooming with Maddie this year."

"Not anymore!~" says Apple and skips towards her, smiling ever so sweetly. "Since you're such an important part in _myyyy_ story; you poison me, I fall asleep-"

"The prince wakes you with a kiss, blah-blah-blah, yada yada," continues Raven with a monotone voice. "I know. So?"

"Sooo," Apple claps her hands together. "I asked headmaster Grimm if _we_ could live together! And he said, yes!" She nods multiple times in hexcitement. "Isn't that enchanting?"

Raven stares at Apple. "Um.. But-but... _"_

"Oh-ohh you are going to loove rooming with me!" Apple interrupts her.

 _I'm speechless..._

"I'm thoughtful and beautiful and I sing the most beautiful songs..." Apple continues and dances backwards to the window where three little birds sit.

Raven just looks at her _. How can she do that?_ _ **Why**_ _does she do that?_ She walks over the to window before Apple even begins to sing her song, shooing the birds away. She rests her arms on the window-shelf.

Apple pops up beside her. "I already decorated _your_ half of the room, look!" She turns to the right half of the dorm room, clapping her hands and giggling. "Isn't it just the _evilest_?" Apple giggles. "I knew you'd love it!"

Raven just sighs when she looks at it. Sure, it is definitely what an evil queen would like to have her room decorated into, but it's not what Raven would want. Or is it?

 _I like the style and the theme, and it's really sweet of Apple to think of me but... I don't want to be evil._

Apple dances around in their room while singing happily about her fairest self and how she will rule the kingdoms when she is queen. Then Raven feels something being placed on her head - the evil crown Apple had decorated her half of the room with.

"It fits you perfectly!~" Apple sings and giggles.

Raven sighs and looks out through the window. "Oh gord... This is gonna be a loooong year.."


	5. Chapter 5

It is the second day of school with actual classes and headmaster Grimm has already set up a bunch of classes connected to the Legacy Day. In some of them he is even their teacher! Today he is having a Story Book-class where the students gets to read their parents story and discuss it together with their story partners. In Cerise's case, she works with Hunter and Ramona. Hunter being the Huntsman who saves her from the Big Bad Wolf, Ramona.  
During class Cerise feels conflicted with her emotions. While being happy to see her sister again she has to pretend that she has no relationship of any kind to Ramona. Luckily though, Ramona catches her eyes and once they have eye-contact, she blinks one time.  
They have to pretend but that doesn't mean they have to stay away from each other. When they were younger they came up with their own secret language, so that they would always be able to speak to each other. And that was what they were using now.  
With simple and genuine, everyday-basic moves and words, Cerise and Ramona made plans to go to Book End once school was over for the day, and spend the evening together.  
"Do you like your story, Cerise?" asks headmaster Grimm, suddenly standing behind her.  
"Um yeah, sure. I-it's my story, why shouldn't I like it?" Cerise replies with a shaky voice. Ramona giggles quietly.  
"Hrmm... Hocus focus! Remember everyone, it is good if you read the story together out loud!" Headmaster Grimm continues to pace around the room, watching the students as they sit together with their books.  
Hunter moves his chair closer to Cerise. Her eyes widens as she sees him coming closer. She pulls up her hood even more, just in case he would accidentally come too close and see her wolf ears.  
"I thought we could read together," he says with a low and soft voice.  
Cerise suddenly feels how tense her shoulders are and breathes deeply and slowly to let the tension go. Hunter didn't want to stare at her, he just wanted to work together. To co-operate.  
"Since the huntsman enters near the end, I can narrate for you," he says with a smile.  
Both Cerise and Ramona nods. Hunter clears his throat before beginning to read. Ramona pokes Cerise on her arm, whispering: "He's kinda cute". Cerise whispers back: "So?"  
"Um.. Are you listening?" Hunter looks at the two girls, chuckling. "Okay: _Once upon a time there was a little girl who was loved by everyone who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little riding hood of_ -"  
Cerise's hand reaches up in the air. "Headmaster Grimm, I have a question."  
Grimm turns to look at her. "What is it?"  
"I-I was just wondering..." Cerise begins slowly. "Who is going to be my grandmother the story?"  
" _Your_ grandmother of-course. Now, continue!"  
Hunter smiles at her before he begins to read again.  
Cerise reads the lines of Little Red Riding Hood and Ramona reads the lines of the Bid Bad Wolf.  
She can almost picture it before her, how she walks down that path in the forest with her hood and her basket. But she looks so much different in her imagination than to what she actually looks like. Her hood is not covering her head and her ears... They aren't even wolf ears.  
Cerise bites her bottom lip. It's not as if she wants to be any different from who and what she is. She loves her family more than anything ever after, and she is very fond of her wolf abilities. The only thing she dislikes, even hates, is that she isn't really allowed to exist. She is the daughter of the Little Red Riding Hood but also of the Big Bad Wolf. So is Ramona, her big sister. Cerise has often wondered what is was that made her the next Little Red Riding Hood and what made Ramona the next Bid Bad Wolf. Sometimes she thinks that maybe there has been a mistake and she is suppose to be the wolf and Ramona the girl. I guess mum and dad just knew, somehow...  
"Cerise?" Hunter gently pokes her cheek under the hood. Cerise feels her cheeks burning with red, eyes turns yellow and she growl quietly at the touch. "It's your turn," he chuckles. "' _Oh grandmother what big_...'" He reads with a high pitched voice, smiling for her to continue.  
"Oh er- right... ' _Oh grandmother! What big ears you have_!'" Cerise reads, very much in character.  
"' _The better to hear you with, my sweet_!'" Ramona replies with her grandmother impression, causing both Hunter and Cerise to laugh.  
Headmaster Grimm looks at them from the corner of his eye, clearing his throat and making Cerise stop laughing. She sits up straight in her chair.  
"Okay, my turn. ' _Oh but grandmother_ '," she speaks with the voice of an scared angle. "' _what big eyes you have_!'"  
"' _The better to_ -'" Ramona stops to lean in very close to Cerise. "' _The better to see you with_!'" She stares at her sister right into the eyes causing both of them to burst into giggling and laughing.  
Cerise remembers how they used to play that game when they were younger. Ramona would be the wolf and when she leaned in that close she would always tickle Cerise until she couldn't even beg for mercy.  
"Ms Hood and Ms Wolf! Hocus FOCUS!" Headmaster Grimm shouts at the two girls.  
"Yeah! The rest of us are actually reading our stories here." Apple replies from the other side of the room. Her story partners are Daring and Raven. She gives Cerise and Ramona a bitchy look before returning to her own story.  
Cerise just shrugs at the Royal princess of Ever After and returns to focus on her story as-well. There is no point in arguing with Apple anyway, and there is nothing to argue about either. _Then why do I want to argue with her? Why do I feel so...so angry all of a sudden?_  
After class Ramona has to go to another class and so do Raven, given as they have the same subject: Evil Creature And Where To Find Them. So Cerise is left alone with Hunter, and Apple. Daring has already been dragged away by all his fangirls.  
"So Cerise," Hunter says as he walks beside her to their lockers. "Do you want to hang out sometime? We could get a hocus latte or watch a Bookball game or something?"  
"Yeah m-maybe, that would be fun." Cerise replies and hides underneath her big hood.  
"Hexcellent!" He smiles, even with his eyes [^.^]. "Well I gotta go, see you later!" Hunter waves before he leaves to go to his locker which is in another hallway.  
Cerise waves back a little at him before unlocking her locker. She hears Apple chuckling behind her.  
"I didn't know Hunter fancies you," she says.  
"He doesn't fancy me, Apple." Cerise says shortly, putting in her books as far as she can inside her locker and takes out her schedule.  
"Oh but of-course he does! Why else would he ask you out on a date like that?" Apple smiles.  
Cerise feels her cheeks glowing red again, she wishes she could just make herself stop blushing.  
Apple continues. "I know you're not a royal but what if Hunter is your rebellious prince? After all, he is the one who saves you from the wolf in your story."  
Cerise peers at her from over her schedule. "I'm not a damsel in distress, Apple. I can take care of myself."  
"Oh I'm sure you can," Apple sings as she passes her by. "But not forever after, Cerise. Once upon a time you will be needing help and saviour from a prince. Or in your case, a huntsman." Apple giggles and waves _ta-taah_ and she leaves Cerise by her locker, growling with anger.  
 _Calm down, Cerise. Forget about what self-centred princess, she's not worth it... That's it. A deep breath in, and a deep breath out... Puuuh... What's next? Another Legacy Day-class? Oh gord. Thank fairy godmother it's an hour until then!_  
Cerise puts back her schedule inside her locker and locks it. On her way to the great hallway's entrance she bumps into Cedar, her roomie.  
"Cerise, I was looking for you!" Cedar smiles wide and hug her friend.  
"Hey Cedar, what's up?"  
"Do you want to go to the castleteria together? I've heard they have hexcellent buns today, and they sparkle!" Cedar says with much hexcitement.  
"Oh, that sounds spelltacular but I'm gonna go to the Enchanted Forest..." Cerise replies.  
"Aww that's alright. I'll see you later," Cedar says and starts walking backwards towards the castleteria, still looking at Cerise. "Oh and have fun at your date!" Cedar giggles and waves and runs off to the castleteria.  
"It's not a date!" Cerise cries back. She feels her cheeks flushing red again so she covers her face with her hood.  
Quickly leaving the school grounds, she makes her way to the Enchanted Forest. As soon as she takes a step in, her racing heart begins calms down. All the embarrassment and stress runs off from her, down to the earth beneath her feet. She takes a few deep breaths to fully relax her heart before continuing going further in.  
The birds sing in glee as they fly between the trees and the sunbeams dances down to the grass. Cerise howls softly and soon she hears the sound of paws running through the forest, coming nearer and nearer by the second. She smiles widely when she sees her dire-pup Carmine running towards her, as he always does when she howls for him. She sits down on her knees and embraces Carmine, who licks her face and wags his tail, barking happily.  
"I've missed you too, Carmine," Cerise says giggling. "D'you wanna race with me? Yeah, you want to race with mummy?" She eggs her dire-pup with a happy voice, clapping her hands on her legs as she stands up. Carmine howls hexcitedly and places himself in position beside Cerise. She smiles wide, showing her sharp wolf-like teeth and narrows her eyes that are now shining with a yellow colour. "Ready... Steady... Go!"  
They set off like two bullets into the woods. Both of them equally fast at the start but Cerise soon outruns her friend. The wind rushes through her hair, stroking her cheeks. The world around her passes by, she feels her heart being uplifted and she opens her arms wide to embrace the lovely feeling of truly being free.  
Cerise runs like the wind, faster than both her sister and her father. She lets out a growl as she jumps over a tree that has fallen down and now blocks her way. Carmine runs upon that tree and jumps down before her, running as fast as his legs can carry him. Cerise is quick on her feet and outruns him again. She laughs happily and peers back at her dire-puppy for a few seconds. He barks back at her, happily wagging his tail when suddenly...  
"OUFF!"  
Cerise rubs her forehead with her palm. The world is spinning and her vision is blurry. Something had hit her, hard. She had run into something. Or more like someone...  
"Daring!?" Cerise cries out when her vision finally gets clear and she sees him laying in his back on the path that they are on. "Oh Daring I'm so sorry!" She crawls up to him and studies him for any sign injuries.  
His eyes are still closed and he frowns, growling inwardly in pain. She can't help but to notice his fine features; the jawline and his cheekbones, his nose and how his blond bangs has fallen all messy all over his forehead. Not to mention his lips...  
 _What the hex am I doing, looking at Daring like this?!_ Cerise thinks, her cheeks burning red again. _What's wrong with me today?_  
"C-Can you sit up...? Here, let me help you..." She supports his shoulders and back as he strains to sit up.  
"Wow Cerise..." Daring growns, resting his head in his hands. "That was..."  
"I-I didn't see you, I'm sorry, if I had known you were there I wouldn't have run into you and hit you." She says quietly.  
To her surprise, Daring shakes his head. "No that was spelltastic! I did not know you could run like that!"  
"Y-you're not really suppose to know that..." Cerise says slowly. "What are you doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be...charming girls back at school?"  
Daring shakes his head again, looking straight at her. "I was looking for you actually."  
"You what?" Cerise asks with a sound of disbelief. "What for?"  
"Maddie asked me if I had seen you the other day because could not find you, and with that cold of yours I wanted to see if you are alright." Daring replies.  
Cerise states at him, her head tilting to the side. _Something is not right with Daring. Something is missing with him. He's acting very strange..._  
"Oookay... And how did you know that I was here of all places?" She asks slowly, with even more disbelief this time.  
"Oh I asked Cedar," Daring says with a smile.  
Cerise quickly shuts her eyes to save herself from the flashing brightness, but there isn't any. Her eyes widens.  
"What's wrong with you?" She quickly covers her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry! I mean... It's just... You're acting... Not very Daring _Charming_ -like. Did I hit you that hard?"  
He shrugs and smiles. "I think it is because of the forest, it changes me somehow."  
Cerise smiles a little, nodding. "I hear you there."  
Daring picks up his crown and stands up, offering his hand to help her to stand as-well. Cerise brushes off her skirt.  
"Who is this little cutie then?" Daring says, slowly approaching the dire-pup who hides inside a large blueberry-bush. Cerise is surprised by the fact that Daring saw him. Like Cerise, Carmine has the ability to hide well when he needs to be unseen.  
"That's Carmine, my puppy."  
"He's a wolf."  
"So?"  
Daring sits down on his knees before the bush and grabs the pup gently to help him out of there. Cerise watches him letting Carmine smell his hand. He growls quietly, stepping back a little.  
Cerise smirks a little. She did not think that Carmine would like Daring and now she had been proven to be right. But then Daring does something she had no idea about that someone more than Ramona and herself could do.  
He speaks to Carmine through his own eyes.  
The dire-pup slowly begins to wag his tail and barks lightly, hopping up onto Darings lap and licks his face. Daring chuckles and pets his furry back.  
"How did you do that?" Cerise asks, and she can't hide her amazement.  
"Do what?" Daring peers up at her.  
"How did you get Carmine to...to accept you? He is very shy around strangers, that's why he goes into hiding when someone else comes around."  
Daring just shrugs and smiles, his ever so blue eyes shining as he looks at her. Cerise must look away for her cheeks begins to burn again. Daring continues to pet and cuddle with the little wolf.  
She sits down beside them and looks at the two boys as they start to play around with each other. Daring picks up a fat stick, egging Carmine to bite it and then throws it as far as his strength lets him. Which is very far. Carmine runs off like a bullet to catch it.  
Daring chuckles and sighs, leaning back against a tree behind them. Cerise looks after Carmine who now has caught the stick and is running back towards them. He gets a special treat from Daring after he drops the stick on his lap. Cerise smiles a little at the two of them.  
 _They look like they have known each other since the beginning of time._  
"Isn't she looking for you now?"  
"She-who?"  
"She-Apple."  
"Oh! No, I am sure she is busy with a bit more hexciting things than following the trails-"  
Cerise burst out laughing. "The woods certainly does change you! Talk about being out of character haha!"  
Daring laughs too and smiles at her. It's one of those genuine friendly smiles again and it causes Cerise's cheeks to turn slightly pink.  
"You really should re-consider running when you have a cold," Daring says, leaning in close to her face. Cerise's whole face turns red and she begins to drip and drop with sweat.  
"W-wha-what are you doing...?" She whispers as Daring places his hand on her forehead.  
"I think you have a fever," he says with a low voice, examining her. "You are very warm. Are you sure you are alright?"  
"Y-y-yeah," Cerise barely manages to speak. He looks at her closely and she doesn't know where to look.  
 _His nose, his forehead, his lips?_  
Somewhat against her will, or because of her will, her eyes falls on his.  
When she looks into those deep and clear blue eyes, it is as if the world around them fades away and left is only the stars and the galaxies from across the universe. All the was and all that is and all that ever will be is there, right there between them. It is around them and within them.  
 _I have seen these eyes before... They are... Home._  
With a gasp Cerise returns to reality and falls down on her back. It takes a few seconds for Daring to realise what just happened before he reaches out to help her up.  
"Cerise! What happened? Did I hurt you?" He asks, the sound of what Maddie would call, worry-flurry, plays in his voice.  
"What...was that?" She asks back, catching her breath. "D-did you see...?"  
Daring nods. "Yes but I am not sure..." He says slowly. "It was probably nothing."  
Cerise nods but can't deny the feeling that what just had happened was more than just nothing. She shakes her head. Since when was she thinking this hard about boys and reacting like this around them? It wasn't like her. But then again, Daring wasn't very much like himself either.  
"We should go back to school now, I think classes starts soon."  
"Yeah," Cerise stands up and brushes of her skirt and her red hood, making sure that t is still covering her wolf ears completely.  
Carmine sits down before her feet and peers up at her, wagging his tail across the ground.  
"Aww Carmine, don't be sad. I'll come back and race again with you soon, okay?" She picks up the little wolf and hugs him close to her chest. "I love you my furry fella."  
Carmine licks her face and hops down onto his feet. Daring chuckles and pets his head, scratching him behind his left ear. Cerise smiles at them.  
"Come on, Daring. Let's go."  
"Bye Carmine," Daring says with both his voice and eyes to the dire-pup, who barks back three times. "Yes that's right, charm you later!"

When they reach the school grounds again, Daring stops and takes out his crown and his mirror. Cerise gives him a confused look.  
"I didn't even notice that you weren't wearing it!" She whispers.  
Daring smiles and places the crown on his blond head. "Its because I don't need it with you."  
"What?"  
"Cerise,"  
"Daring."  
"I am glad to have you as a friend." He smiles his genuine smile, looking into her grey eyes one last time.  
"Y-yeah, me too." She smiles back.  
"Alright, better get myself to it." Daring looks into the mirror. "Gorgeous Daring, here we go!"  
Cerise shakes her head, laughing at her new friend.  
They head back inside the school halls together. Daring is quickly overwhelmed with fangirls that drools over him, weeping to get the picture taken with him. He waves to Cerise as he is being led away by the fangirling troop.  
Later that afternoon when Cerise in on her way back to her dorm from grimmnastics class she finds the hallways full of students, completely blocking her way. Luckily she spots Raven's purple hair somewhere in the middle.  
"What the hex's going on?" She asks when she finally has reached her friend.  
Raven turns to look at her. "Oh don't you know? Blondie has reviled that she has some kind of ' _royally important_ ' news for the whole school."  
Cerise shrugs. "Whatever it is, I hope that everyone will move soon because I am hexhausted..."  
Soon the large enormous mirrorscreen upon the wall flickers from black to white and Ever After High's emblem shows in the centre of it. All the students stops talking, the school is deadly quiet.  
"Students of Ever After High, do I have your complete attention?" Blondie's voice echoes through every hall in the school. All the students cheer loudly back at the screens. Well, almost all of them.  
The screen zooms out and shows not only Blondie but two of the most popular students at the high school.  
"Soo... Apple, Daring, any juicy dating details for my Mirrorcast Show?" Blondie giggles. "Talk to the mirror!"  
Apple looks right into the mirror, right at the crowd of students who looks back up at her. "Uh Blondie, Daring and I are still not a couple. This is High School. We've got forever after to be together!" She takes Darings hand, twinkling happily with her eyes at him. Daring holds her hand and smiles a little into the mirror.  
Blondie sighs. "Oh but you two are _the_ perfect couple! Not too this and not too that, _you're just right_!"  
Apple smiles happily at those three last words and begins to nod hexcitedly.  
"Come on Apple, let's get something to eat. Charm you later!" Daring winks at Blondie and blinds her with a flash of bright light and walks out of sight together with Apple.  
Blondie walks around in circles and giggles that she can't see. When her sight is back to normal she walks up close to the mirror. "Fellow fairytales, I think we all now what this means: Daring and Apple are a headcanon couple! Shippers, let me hear you cheer for this enchanting news!"  
Cerise has to cover her ears because almost everyone standing in that hall cheers and screams like crazy, whistling and singing out that Daring and Apple are their OTP. Raven just shakes her head.  
"Celebrities huh."  
Cerise nods. "Can we get out of here? !" She nearly screams to overpower all the noise around them.  
"Yeah, come on!" Raven takes Cerise's hand and leads the way away from the crowded hallways.  
The echoes from all the happy cheering follows them all the way to the spiral staircases that leads up to the dorm room floor, but it is a lot quieter there. Raven leans back against the stone wall and lets out a yawn.  
"I'm so tired... Headmaster Grimm is really going for it with the Legacy Day-classes."  
"Haha yeah, it gives you a lot to think about too." Cerise looks down at her feet. Her shoes are a little bit dirty from her race in the forest earlier.  
"Hmm is there something special on your mind? Something like a certain huntsman?" Raven teases her.  
Cerise covers her face with her hands. "Oh no, you've heard it too! I swear, it's not a date!"  
Raven chuckles, placing her hand on Cerise's shoulder. "It will be alright. I've spent lots of time with Hunter today. He's a cool guy, Dexter thinks he's cool, and I think that you two could have fun together."  
Cerise peers through her fingers at Raven who smiles at her. "So Dexter think he's cool, huh?"  
Raven laughs nervously. "Well yeah, he said so himself, remember?"  
"And Dexter is a pretty cool prince too?" Cerise raises her eyebrow and smirks playfully.  
"Yes." Raven replies quickly without hesitation. Then she blushes slightly.  
"Awwwww cutie Raven has a cruuuush!~" Cerise sings and pokes her best friends' cheek.  
"I-I ... No it's not a cruuush," Raven laughs nervously. "Anyway. I am really tired so I'm gonna go back to my dorm room now."  
"I should probably do the same. I really need to shower..."  
They hug each other, much to Cerise's surprise since she smells pretty bad after grimmnastics class, but Raven doesn't seem to mind at all, and then walk up the stairs. Raven first and Cerise right behind her and the echoes of cheering students fading below them.  
Cerise let's of a sigh of relief when she reaches the door to her dorm room.  
"See you tomorrow then, Raven."  
"Uhuh, hey, do you wanna get fairest together for the party tomorrow?"  
Cerise stares in horror. "What party?"  
"Just a party," Raven shrugs. "At Briar's dorm after school tomorrow. It might be fun," she smiles.  
"It will be crowded..." Cerise bites her bottom lip. "I don't know, I-I'll think about it."  
Raven nods. "Well, see you tomorrow then. Chaarm you later," she giggles and disappears into her room.  
Cerise slowly opens the door, taking a peek inside. "Cedar? You in here?" When there's no reply she walks inside, closing the door firmly behind her.  
The large room is so well decorated it almost instantly cheers her up. _Why worry about a party when no-one's going to notice me anyway? It's not like I'm colourful like Maddie or a dancer person like Duchess. Hex, I'm not even as well-known as Raven and that says a lot... Wait am I..jealous of Raven?_ Cerise shakes her head, taking down her hood and revealing her half-wolf ears. She enters the bathroom and locks the door, undresses properly and steps into the shower. _If I'm not jealous then what is this feeling that I'm feeling?_ She looks at herself in the fogged glass. Her ears are drawn back. _I'm scared..._  
Later, when Cedar returns to their dorm room, she finds that Cerise is already in her bed sleeping. With as little sound as possible she tip-toes over to her side of the room and hangs up a beautiful red dress on the wall, with it an envelope with Cerise's name on it. Cedar must cover her mouth to not wake her up because she can't hold back her joyful giggling as she takes out a dress for herself as-well. She hugs it to her chest, spinning around in a circle as she whisper-sings: " _Tomorrow's going to be a page ripper!_ "


	6. Chapter 6

The sun shines brightly over the fairytale world as the students of Ever After High all make their way to the Great Hall. A mere week of school has gone by and the Headmaster himself has already called upon a meeting, surely about the upcoming event again.  
Legacy Day.  
Everyone longs for it...

"Toodles! Good morning, narrator! Isn't this a teariffic day! Saay, what is this story about?" Maddie cheers, peering upwards beyond the sealing.

Male narrator: "Hello, Madeline. Please don't interrupt me while I narrate. Now where was I... Ah yes... _Everyone longs for it_..."

...either with lust or with fear. In Madeline Hatter's case it is with the biggest enthusiasm and cheerfulness, as she again and again tries to interrupt the narrating while walking with her friends to the meeting in the Great Hall, who all seems to be a bit confused and amused by her likeable madness.  
And for Apple White, it is with lust and joy. She talks about it whenever she gets the chance to; bragging about how royally perfect she will rule the kingdom while adding on with her love for herself. Some of her fanboys have even composed a song, just for her: _She is beauty, she is grace. She is the fairest in this state._  
For some, less fortunate, say Cerise Hood, it is completely different. She is no princess but must still take classes like Damsel In Distress: Let Him Save You. No, Cerise is a rebel, but not of her own choice.  
Growing up was not easy for a girl like her, nor for her sister. They had to go to different schools and when their separation got too hard for them to continue with, their lovely mother Red decided that she would home-school them. Her husband was after-all, a teacher at one of the most hexquisit schools in Ever After, so he could help her with everything their two little girls needed to know at the time.  
By the time the elementary years had gone by, mr and Mrs Wolf-Hood talked to their girls about going back to school again. Both their parents had seen as much of the positive as the negative effects it had had to keep them at home, tucked and hid away from the rest of the world, just because they were different from everybody else. And, it did not rhyme very well with either of their characters. What had given them the right to do that to their children, just because of their forbidden love and marriage? As much as Red loved her one true love, she too did not want to hide in the dark forever.  
So Cerise and Ramona entered Fairy Juniors High together. Given different surnames they were able to attend the same classes and see each other as much as they wanted every day. One Wolf and one Hood. Although Cerise's ears was still like her mother's, it was easy to see the resemblance between her and Ramona.  
Slowly, a talk began amongst the children. A talk that spread into rumours. Rumours that quickly was put to an end, but how was yet to be known.  
 _Why do you look like each other? Are you related to a wolf? Rebels!_  
To further protect their family, Red made a small cape for her youngest daughter. A cape as red as her own, to show the whole of the magical world that Cerise was the daughter of the Little Red Riding Hood. Little did they know that this cape would come in handy after a few years...

Female narrator: "Enough with the background story. Go back to the present!"  
Maddie, from her seat in the Great Hall, whispering: "Agreed! When ones belongings are cloaked, time stays!"  
Male narrator, somewhat taken aback: "Ah well... Fine."

The Great Hall is filled with students and teachers, some has to stand by the walls because there aren't enough seats. On the stage before them stands Milton Grimm, the headmaster of Ever After High.  
"I would like to start with acknowledging how well you all have done in your Legacy Day-classes, though some have done better than others," he begins. "But I want you to do even better! I know you can do so very much better! Which is why I have decided to set up a play, to prepare you all for your future destinies." Mr. Grimm smiles proud.  
The crowd shares both a confused and happy expression. Raven leans over to Cerise who sit beside her and whispers: "I bet a certain princess asked him to do this."  
Cerise bites her bottom lip to suppress a giggle and whispers back: "I double bet that they came up with the idea together!"  
Mr. Grimm clears his throat loudly before he continues his speech. "You shall find that this is of most importance for you and your story, and, for the rest of the whole magical world! I have already decided each and every one of you into groups, some stories and fairytales will have to co-operate or else this project will take forever after to complete. Madame Yaga will give you the rest of the information you will need to complete this task."  
Baba Yaga, floating in the air by the left side by the stage, smiles a little and does a little wave with her hand.  
"Students, listen closely," mr. Grimm says loud and slowly as he looks right at each and every one of the students present in the Great Hall, his eyes almost peering into their very souls. "I want you to preform with passion and presence, as if it was real. You will get grades on this. Oh and yes, classes are dismissed for today."  
The speech ends and a round of applause follows as the headmaster walks off the stage.  
Cerise swallows hard. This was not was she was hexpecting at all.  
 _Headmaster Grimm has gone too far_.  
She peers at her best friend beside her. Raven's eyes are spread wide open, all the colour missing from her face. She looks completely terrified.  
 _Headmaster Grimm has really gone too far!_  
She takes Raven's hand and gives her a look of understanding and support. "Let's get out of here."  
As the two girls stands from their chairs to leave, a voice calls out to Cerise. A voice she knows as good as the back of her hand.  
"Cerise!"  
She excuses herself to Raven, and Maddie accompanies her out instead while Cerise stays behind.  
"Little C!"  
She turns around and snaps back at the person behind her. "Don't call me that here! I'm not little...!"  
"Relax, will you? What's gotten your fur up?" Ramona crosses her arms over her chest, wearing a concerned look on her face. "Why didn't you come to Book End yesterday?"  
"I...I got distracted, that's all," Cerise replies slowly, pulling her hood further up over her head. "I was really tired, and smelly mind you, after grimmnastics and the halls were so crowded... It slipped my mind. I'm sorry."  
Ramona wrapped her arm around her younger sister; the brotherly kind of thing to do, the kind of things buddies do. She pokes her nose underneath the red hood. "No worries, C. We can hang out another day. From what I've heard you're pretty busy nowadays." She says with a smirk on her lips.  
Cerise hangs with her head, making a moaning sound of embarrassment. "It hasn't even been a week and all my friends already think that I've got a date coming up with Hunter! Total fairyfail!"  
"Hmmmaaaaybee we should discuss this at another place, don't you think?" Ramona says half chuckling, winking meaningfully towards the rest of the students that are in the hall.  
Cerise nods and takes out her mirrorphone. "I'm just gonna text Raven."  
"Good," Ramona says with a smile. "Book End then?"  
Cerise smiles, revealing her fangs and takes her sister's arm.  
Ramona chuckles at her. "To Book End it is!"


	7. Chapter 7

Narrators' PoV

Male narrator: "As Cerise Hood is busy at the Hocus Latte with her sister, Madeline helps Raven to recover from the spelltacularly fairly news they had just received from headmaster Grimm. Although her support is much appreciated by Raven, it is-"  
Female narrator, interrupting: "You know, there are a lot more characters in this story than these rebels that you have been talking about now, for a very long time. I think it's time for a little change of perspective."  
Male narrator, somewhat irritated: "I am telling this story now!"  
Female narrator, now also irritated: "Oh stop it! You sound just like a child!"  
Brooke, angrily cutting in: "You sound like little children both of you! You're going to mess up the whole story of you keep going like this because there will be no story to tell if you don't stop and start to co-operate!"  
Male and female narrator, looking at each other and then at their daughter: "You're right, we are sorry..."  
Brooke, exhaling in relief: "Good... Now, where are we in the story?"  
Female narrator: "Briar's party..."  
Male narrator: "Aaah yes, but, that is not until later. And don't look like that, darling. It will be fun, you'll see."  
Female narrator, scoffs: "For the rebels perhaps, but for one Royal princess it will be a total fairyfail."  
Brooke, giggling: "This is going to be hexcellent! Now go go, mum and dad, I've brought popcorn so continue to tell the story!"

Raven's PoV  
Raven sighs and puts down the small teacup on the table. Ever since Cerise disappeared after the meeting in the Great Hall, Maddie has been giving her the Wonderlandian Treatment To Cure Worry-Flurry Flue, to cheer her up. According to Maddie, each Wonderlandian has their own way of curing the worry-flurry flue, and as for her case it is with tea.  
"You still have some pale spots left on your cheek," the colourful and mad girl says, poking at her own cheek. "Right there, but on your whole face. Oh Raven, maybe you need some green peppermint tea! Or a steaming hot cuppa of smooth vanilla tea or-or-"  
"I think I need some air," Raven says, interrupting her friend. "Thanks Maddie, but I think I need to be alone for a while."  
Maddie jumps up for her chair. "Teariffic idea! I'll come with you!"  
To her surprise, Raven smiles. "Thank you, Maddie."  
The two girls pack the teacups and spoons and sugar pots into Maddie's hat, that is surprisingly huge on the inside, and then leaves the castleteria.  
They pass through the crowded halls where the students are loudly discussing the new theatre and drama project that headmaster Grimm has set up. Raven covers her ears to prevent herself from hearing about it and doesn't let go until they enter the courtyard.  
Maddie quickly throws herself down, landing ungracefully on the green grass. She laughs hysterically and happily, laying on her back.  
"Come on Raven," she says, patting the fluffy grass beside her. "If tea is not the cure for you then maybe laughter is."  
"Are you suggesting... What hexactly?"  
"Just come here, come on!" Maddie giggles and pulls down her friend. "Comfortable?"  
Raven puts herself in a comfortable pose and nods. "Yeah."  
"Look up at the sky. What do you see?"  
Raven moves her head back a tiny bit, looking up at the bright, blue sky. "Uummm... Nothing except uh... Blue?"  
"That's right!" Maddie nods, hugging Raven. "And that's hexactly what you have to worry about - nothing!"

Female narrator: "They shouldn't be too sure about that. After-all, headmaster Grimm can be a very tricky person at times."  
Brooke, half shouting: "Mum, don't interrupt the story!"

Apple's PoV  
As soon as headmaster Grimm had gone off the stage, Apple had run over to Baba Yaga who was to hand out the information papers. Now Apple sits in the castleteria together with her best friend forever after and her future husband/her current boyfriend.  
"Listen here you guys," she clears her throat before reading out loud what the paper sheet says. "The story-play groups are as follows: Sleeping Beauty and The Little Red Riding Hood, The Frog Prince and The Swanlake, Cinderella and Rapunzle, Hansle and Gretel and Humphry Dumphry, aaaaand Snow White!"  
Briar lifts up her sunglasses from her eyes. "Wait a spell, was that all of them?"  
Apple shakes her head. "I just took out a few, there are many many more. Look for yourself," she gives the sheet to the beauty beside her.  
Briar blows a bubble with her strawberry gum, shaking her head. "I don't have time for that, not now."  
"Oh yess," Apple gasps as she remembers, clapping her hands together. "It's your first party tonight! Oohhhh what should we wear?"  
Daring peeks at the two girls from his mirror. "A party?"  
Apple giggles, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh Daring, aren't you the cutest prince ever after. How ever could you have missed that?"  
"I have been busy, that's all." He replies, sounding most confused for a reason Apple doesn't know and frankly, she doesn't care about. She just pecks his cheek quickly and giggles again.  
Briar looks at the two and can't decide if it is cute or not, she's so used to Apple's fluffiness. She lets her sunglasses fall down on her nose again.  
"We should definitely go and get everything ready, don't you agree? Apple?"  
Apple stands up. "Let's go."  
"Charm you later, Daring."

The two princesses locks the door behind them as they enter Briar's dorm room. Apple gasps in amazement when gazing upon all the party decorations that Briar and her roommate Ashlynn Ella had put up the night before. A lot of their furniture has been put away with the help of Farrah Goodfairy's magic, to give more space to the room, and a lot of other (more fit for a party) furniture is added.  
Apple spins around to get a great look on everything. There is a table, which is decorated most beautifully with flowers and glitter, with plastic mugs in different colours. There's popcorn, crisps and different kinds of fruit - raspberries, strawberries, plums, peaches and grapes, just to name a few. A great disco ball hangs from the sealing. A photobooth to the left, a sofa so comfortable you might fall asleep in it, to the right. There's a whole table with bowls in different sizes and colours, holding the party potions.  
"This is enchanting!" Apple sings out, sighing happily. "What are these?" She points at the bowls at the table.  
"Drinks?" Briar says, peering up from her sunglasses. "Awh don't look so alarmed, Apple. There are non-alcoholic drinks too."  
"Non-what?!" Apple explodes, her cheeks flushing red. "Briar you can't- it's... Alcohol is forbidden on the school grounds!"  
Briar clicks with her tongue. "Tsk tsk tsk... Apple, my best friend forever after, there is nothing to worry about," she puts her arm around her shoulder and smiles. "And it won't be a page ripper if it's not a little wild and crazy, you know how I like my parties."  
"B-but-but..."  
"Relax, Apple," Briar fills up a pink mug with drink from one of the bowls and gives it to her friend. "It's fresh and fruity, try it."  
Apple sniffs on the drink in her hand. "But what if something goes wrong? I don't want headmaster Grimm to find out... It would put us on the wrong page with him and-and that would ruin everything."  
"If anything would go wrong we'll just tell Farrah to restore everything with her fairly good magic." Briar fills a mug with drink to herself, smiling at Apple. "Besides it can't go wrong, we're royals. Good things are destined to happen to us."

 _ **The end is just the beginning...**_


	8. Chapter 8

Cerise's PoV  
"Are you sure about this?"  
"Mhm, most definitely, absolutely sure."  
Cerise spins around slowly in front of the mirror. Cedar giggles and skips at her own feet by the door. Cersie looks at her. She is wearing a sunny yellow a-line off-shoulder cocktail dress, knee-lenght and it has the most enchanting lace-applications Cerise has ever seen. Cedar's eyes are sparkling with soft glittery makeup. Her whole spirit is shining through her and she is beaming of hexcitment. Cerise smiles a little.  
"You are so beautiful Cedar, I wish I could be as confident as you in a dress like this."  
Her dress is similar to Cedar's but in a deep blood-like red. She doesn't know how Cedar managed to get both of them those spellbinding dresses and her feelings about them, mostly about her own, are complicated.  
On one hand she is happy for the dress because it is the most beautiful dress she has worn. On the other hand she is uncomfortable because with a dress like that she is definitely going to be seen and noticed by other people. Luckily, she has her hood on which makes her feel a bit safer.  
"You'll get into it, relax." Cedar giggles and takes her hand. "Are you ready to go?"  
The two girls locks the door to their dorm and heads off to the other side of the castle where Briar Beauty and Ashlynn Ella shares a dorm room, and, where the party is.  
As they walk through the hallway Cerise thinks back to the talk she had with Ramona at the Hocus Latte earlier that day. They had spoken about school and classes, teachers and headmaster Grimm. Ramona gave her tips like what-not-to-do's and you-really-have-to-do-it-like-this, which was very thoughtful of-course but not what Cerise really wanted to talk about. Ramona being her big sister had sensed that and asked her what was troubling her...and Cerise had totally neglected that there truly was something troubling her.

Male narrator: "Although there was."  
Brooke: "What was troubling her so much she couldn't talk about it?"  
Female narrator, sighing: "Boy-trouble."

The doors are wide open, music and blinking light in different colours streaming out from the dorm room along with laughter and joyous shoutouts from the students inside.  
The two friends lets out an amazed gasp in unison when they enter. The sight is wonderlandish and most enchanting.  
"Smiiiilee to the mirror!" The voice of Blondie Lockes sings loudly, followed by a _click!_ and a **FLASH**.  
Cerise covers her eyes, her growling barely hearable thanks to the loud music. Cedar giggles and says hi to Blondie, Briar and Ashlynn who stands in the hallway greeting the guests.  
"Hey Briar, this is party is fairest!" Cerise yells as loud as she can, while being served a drink by Ashlynn.  
"Thanks Cerise! Your dress is enchanting by the way!" Briar yells back with a wide smile, causing her to blush slightly.  
"Thanks Briar! Umm Ashlynn... What's this?" She points at the black mug in her hand. "It smells very... Fruity."  
"I think it's the um- Vanilla-? No, wait! ... Uh- yes! A-Apple Razz. It's Apple Razz!" Ashlynn nods quickly and smiles.  
Cerise shrugs and walks further into the room. She is surprised by how roomie the place is even though most of the students are here. There are people everywhere and yet there is still plenty of space for one to walk around and even dance. Cerise spots her friends sitting on a sofa by the wall and so she heads over there to join with them.  
"Hey Cerise!" Raven pats on the empty seat beside her in the sofa. "You look lovely!"  
"Hey guys! Thanks Raven, you look great too," Cerise sits down beside her. "Hey did you all get drinks too?"  
"Yeah, welcome-drinks I think. I dunno what it is though but it smells veeryy nice," Raven says with a smile.  
Maddie shakes her head. "I prefer tea above all-!"  
"Wait a splinter!" Cedar moves her pink mug closer to her nose, sniffing, as Raven takes a sip of her drink.  
"This is alcohol!"  
Raven quickly spits it out, like a fountain over the sofa table. She removes the stains with a magic spell and then puts down her mug firmly.  
"Isn't alcohol forbidden on the school grounds?" Maddie tilts her colourful head to the side, her silver spoon-earrings glittering in the light from the many lamps in the room.  
"Only during school hours, I think." Raven says.  
"Well you do what you like but I'm not drinking it, it's tea or nothing else for me!" Maddie stomps with her foot to show that she really means it, that tea is madly serious business.  
Cerise looks down at the mug in her hand, at the drink in the mug. _Alcohol_. She had never tried that before and it wasn't something she was _dying_ for either.  
She had heard stories from her father from when he was young and parties and had drinks; how he changed from wolf to man almost constantly, how angry and happy and sad he had felt all at once. Cerise remembers now, one of the really frightening stories he had told her, and it stings her heart to see it happening before her in her mind.  
Her father, the Big Bad Wolf, had been at one of the bars in town and gotten himself totally, completely wasted. When he was to walk home he could barely stand on his own two feet yet he walked on. But his vision was blurry, he could barely see, and the world was spinning. People had seen him lurking about on the streets, constantly falling-

Female narrator, abruptly interrupting: "Now that is a completely different story and not one I want to be told in front of Brooke or the readers! You haven't come to it yet but I know how the story goes! I don't know what Mr Bad Wolf had in mind when telling his children about it but that is not a story for children's ears!"  
Brooke, with her mouthful of popcorn: "Yeah, tell abou' the party instead dad. I'm sure the readers are more interested in that."  
Male narrator: "Fine. I suppose I got a bit... Carried away."

Even though what her father had told her about alcohol, she decided to try it anyway. Because she new a few more things about it that her father had left out to tell her: it boosts your confidence and can make you feel hexstreamly good. And she was in unknowing desperate need of both those things.  
"Cerise no!" Maddie yells at her, shaking her head.  
"What? It was just a sip..." She hides behind her mug, smiling a little. "It doesn't taste to bad either."  
Raven takes her mug, looking at her friends. "I say we all drink it."  
"Yeah but..." Cedar begins.  
"Just one sip. Come on. It's our first party, our first year. We should spellabrate like we mean it!"  
Cerise giggles a little at Raven's hexcitement.  
"I've been looking forward to this since I saw the posters, okay? And it would be fairest if we did this together!" Raven can barely contain her hexcitement.  
"Just one sip?" Maddie pouts.  
Raven nods. "Then we party!"  
"Okay, I'm in!" Cedar says.  
"Me too!"  
"Me three!" Maddie smiles.  
The four girls raises their glasses upward the sealing, cheering. Cerise looks at her friends and can't help but to smile. They are all so gorgeous with their new dresses and hairstyles, glittering eyes and wonderlandiful perfumes. She giggles as her smile grows a little wider before they all take a sip each from their mugs.  
The music beams perfectly with the lights in the room. Cerise takes a big sip of her drink, smiling when she realises that he actually likes the taste of it.  
Maddie throws up her arms in the air, crying out with her happy and bubbly voice echoing throughout the whole room: " **Let's partyyy!** "  
The four friends joins in for a group-hug before they separate and spread out to get to know other students and _mingle~_ and most importantly, to dance.  
Soon Cerise finds herself on the dance floor, dancing and cheering most confidently and happily. She feels the music around her and allows it to guide her over the floor, between and around the people. With her hood she feels safe and secure - with Apple Razz and this fairly good beat she feels fearless! Cerise dances as if she is truly free, with closed eyes as she enjoys the sounds around her. She is so deep into the music she doesn't give a single care about the rest of the world around her. All that matters now is the mu-  
"Hey watch it!" A voice yells behind her, pushing her to the side.  
"Eyy stoop!" She growls angrily at whoever it is, the lights blinking her so she can't see anything but a male figure.  
"C-Cerise! I didn't know that it was you!" The voice apologises. "I didn't recognise you."  
She squints with her eyes and moves closer, peering up at the male face. "Hunter?"  
"Hey," he laughs, scratching the back of his head.  
Cerise watches him closely, crossing her arms over her chest. "Whatever did you push me for?" She yells to overpower the music around them.  
Hunter replies but even though she has half-wolf ears she can't hear him. The music is too loud.  
"What?!"  
"Flue dangled on sweep!"  
"What?!"  
"YOU. DANCED. INTO. ME."  
"OH. .. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT!"  
"IT'S COOL!"  
Both Hunter and Cerise laughs.  
Hunter takes a step forward, leaning his head closer to her face, other ear.  
"DO YOU WANT TO DANCE?"  
"UUUH SURE?" She replies, covering her ears with her hands to keep them safe.

Cerise who had never danced with anyone but her father and friends and who had never been asked for a dance, is now somewhere in the middle of the dance floor with Hunter. They dance together side by side, sometimes he takes her hands and lead her and sometimes he spins her round and round which causes her to laugh hysterically. She must hold her hood to her head when he spins her, or else it will fall down.  
They dance for what seems like forever after. Song after song after song. She sees Raven passing by her more than three times and somewhere amongst the crowd she notices Cedar and Duchess Swan. The colours mix as she spins again and she laughs happily, swinging out her right arm and almost falls down. Hunter quickly pulls her to him and holds her gently.  
"You okay there?" He peers down at her, smiling.  
"Never been better!" Cerise smiles back.  
"Good. Hey, I really have to take a leak, I'll be back in a minute. Alright?" Hunter excuses himself and disappears, leaving Cerise on the dance floor. She sighs happily and decides to look for her friends, and for something to eat. Who knew that dancing could make you so hungry?  
As she makes her way towards the table with popcorn and crisps and other tasty party-snacks, her friends calls for her. She uses her skills in sign-language to communicate with them and soon she joins with Maddie, Raven, Cedar and Ginger, and a lot of people she hasn't met yet.  
"Snacks anyone?~" Cerise places a basket full of sweets and snacks on the round and tall bar-table.  
"Oh-oh Cerise, meet our friends and our new friend!" Maddie jumps up and down, clapping her hands. "This is Holly, Lizzie and Kitty!"  
"Hii guys!~" Cerise smiles wide and happily to the three girls.  
Each and every one of them looks fabulously unique; Holly has the longest of longest of hairs which is wonderlandifuly sat up and decorated with flowers, which fits perfectly to her long dress. Kitty beams of purple and playfully mischiefness with her purple hair all let down, wavy and curly, her eyes sparkling under all the makeup. And Lizzie... Lizzie outshines them all.  
"YoU ARE thE MOST enCHANTiNG perSON I HAVE EveR SEEN OH GRIMM yoU ARE BEAUTIFUL!" Cerise cries out, throwing herself at Lizzie, who squeals and laughs, gently pushing Cerise off herself.  
"I take it you have a thing for red too," she says with a voice sweet as hunny.  
Cerise nods hexcitedly. "YeESS!"  
Ginger grabs a lot of sweets from the basket, stuffing her mouth full of. "So. Delicious. Mmmmh!"  
Maddie giggles and hugs her friends tightly. Then she looks seriously at Kitty.  
"So how was it that you didn't transfer together with me and Lizzie?"  
"The narrators forgot to include me!" Kitty pouts angrily.  
"Oh that wasn't very nice of them!" Maddie gasps. "Hey narrators! Don't leave out Kitty, she's really special! Okay!"

Female and male narrator: "Sorry, Madeline!"  
Brooke: "Yeah like, how can you forget a fairytale like the Cheshire Cat?"

"Hexactely!" Maddie and Kitty replies.  
"Umm who are you guys talking to?" Raven asks curiously.  
"Ohh just the narrators," Maddie says and takes a handful of snacks into her mouth. "They had forgot to include Kitty when we, Lizzie and me, transferred from Wonderland to Ever After. Very not-hattastic of them if you ask me."  
"Ooookay," Raven chuckles. "Speaking of including~ Cerise, you've got anything to tell us?"  
All eyes are on Cerise, as she too has her mouth full of snacks. She gives her friends a very confused but happy look.  
"Awwh come onnn, you know what we're talking about!"  
"No?~" she smiles wide, chewing chewing chewing.  
"Yesss you dooo!" Holly sings, grabbing her shoulders and gently shaking her. "About you and mr Hunter Huntsman!"  
Cerise bursts out laughing. She shakes her head.  
"We all saw you two dancing together," says Ginger, nodding fairy much.  
"For a veeeery long time," Kitty adds.  
"Guys there's nothing between Hunter and me. I barely know him.~" Cerise shrugs and giggles, causing her friends' eyes to widen.  
"There is!" Holly squeals in joy. "Oh Cerise you may deny it now but once you allow yourself to feel it, when you dive into all those enchanting feelings of love you won't be able to hide it or control it!" She sings out, sighing ever so happily.  
"Haha I don't know about that but seriously, I don't-"  
She is cut off and interrupted by a hextremely loud whistle, making her squeal in discomfort.  
All noise, talk and music dies. The room is in complete silence.  
Cerise turns around to see who had whistled so loudly. On top of one of the tables far far back into the room, stands the two most popular girls of the school - Briar Beauty and Apple White. If Lizzie was outshining then Briar and Apple topped that. Cerise has to admit it to herself too.  
Somewhere someone is screaming out "I love you Apple!".  
Cerise takes all her hocus focus, like everyone else, to the two princesses as Briar opens her mouth to speak.  
"Fairytales! Are you having fun!"  
"Yeeeesss!" Everyone replies happily, waving their hands in the air.  
"I can't hear you? Are you having fuuuun!"  
"YEEESSSSSS!" Everyone yells out, jumping and cheering like a crazy crowd at a concert.  
Briar smiles happily, clapping her hands together. "We've been partying for about TWO HOURS and I just wanted to tell you a few things! One! You all look enchanting tonight!"  
Everyone cheers!  
"Two! The whole school is in this dorm room! Except for the teachers! How royally awesome is that!" Apple sings out.  
More cheers! Cerise laughs, applauding happily.  
"Three! Let's all cheer together for our first year in high school!" Briar and Apple raises their mugs in the air. "Everybody! Raise your mugs! Free refill for those who needs it...! Yes, come on! Okay! You ready? Who's gonna make this year the fairest and most enchanting!"  
Cerise raises the mug she just received, and together with everyone else in the room she shouts out: "We are!"

About an hour later...

Cerise giggles at another one of Hunters many stories, sitting beside him on one of the sofas while her friends are up at the dance floor. The music is playing loudly but in a more calm way and no-one is shouting or yelling anymore, so now you can actually talk to people.  
"That Pesky seems like a real something, I also have a pet. He's-" Cerise begins but it interrupted by Hunter as he moves closer to her, gently touching the white streaks in her hair.  
"You're a real something too," he says softly with a smile, looking into her grey eyes.  
Cerise feels her cheeks flush with red. "Yeah w-well," she stutters and doesn't know what to say. _What does one do in a situation like this_? She looks into his eyes as-well, a mix of darkness and hazelnut in them. A beautiful pair of eyes but nothing like the ones she had met with in the Enchanted Forest.  
Hunter softly strokes her cheek, leaning in closer to her. Cerise feels her heart beating faster and faster, but not because of Hunter, it can't be.  
A genuine, friendly smile flashes before her eyes.  
 _Daring_.  
Her hearts' beating speeds up to a million beats, her eyes a open wide and she's staring right into Hunters'. It takes a second for her to realise what is happening...  
Hunter is kissing her.  
Cerise has never been kissed before, she doesn't know how it should be done. But Hunter seems to know what he is doing, and it seems like he doesn't want to stop doing it either. Cerise blushes madly as he begins to explore her mouth with his own tongue, she waves her arms up and down and giggles.  
"Get a room!" Someone calls to them, whilst the loud cries of someone crying really ugly echoes through the room. No-one seems to care about the crying person though, only Apple. Her sympathetic voice almost overpowers the loud crying.  
That's when Hunter lets go. "Sorry... I-I don't know what came over me.." He give her a bit of a shy smile, scratching the back of his head.  
Cerise giggles, shaking her head. "I-it wasn't that bad, I-I think?"  
 _What the hex am I saying? Wasn't that bad? Oh gord what's wrong with me!_  
Hunter chuckles and sighs. He looks at her. "Cerise, I like you."  
 _I must be going mad, what's going on?_ She laughs now, really shaking her head. "Say that again because I thought I just heard you say that you like me!"  
He just smiles at her, a very sweet and gentle smile. "I have liked you for a while."  
"Huh? Seriously? Since when?" She still doesn't believe him.  
"Oh I don't know hexactly but... Somewhere since art-class began last year."  
Cerise stares at him. "Was that why you were always so nice to me? I thought you were just being nice! Oh Hunter I'm so sorry I didn't-!"  
He chuckles and smiles. "No worries."  
Cerise sighs, starring blindly. _This can't be real. I must be imagining things._  
She waves her hand in front of Hunter's face, pokes his shoulder and then pinches her own arm.  
 _It is real!_  
Hunter laughs at her. "What are you doing?"  
"Checking! I'm not dreaming, am I?" Cerise pinches herself again. "Ouch!"  
"Nope. You look pretty much awake to me," he smiles again. "It might be the alcohol, it does that to you most of the time. If it wasn't my kiss?" He smiles playfully, causing Cerise to laugh.  
"Nooo it's the alcohol, definitely the alcohol."  
The two laughs cheerfully and continues to talk about other things. The night goes on and soon the music fades away. Briar and Apple makes another appearance on top of the tables, thanking everyone who came to the party and cheering for an enchanting first year of high school.  
"Remember to drink a lot a lot a lot of water tomorrow and please do not hurl in the corridors!" Briar says, almost shouting although the music is entirely off now. Her pink sunglasses are upside-down and she's wearing one of the many prince's shirt. Apple stands beside her, doing the queen-wave with both her hands. Her eyes are quiet wonky and her lipstick completely gone, most surely because of a snogging session with a certain mr. Charming.

Hunter walks with Cerise to the door to her dorm room. Both of them are more than slightly, no wait a spell, they are drunk. Just like the rest of the student section.  
Cerise is leaning back against the door, looking sleepy into his eyes as he speaks to her. She sees his lips moving but can't make out what it is that he is saying.  
 _Whatever after it is, the sound of his voice is so enchanting right now..._ She thinks to herself inside her blurry and most colourful mind, smiling and nodding to the rhythm of his voice.  
"Really? Aww that's hexcellent!" He suddenly says with his happiest voice and kisses her again.  
Cerise, who is completely wasted and can't fully understand what just happened and is very happy to be kissed at the same time (it makes her feel like she's spinning around on the dance floor again), kisses him back.  
"I'll see you tomorrow then," he smiles.  
Cerise just giggles and nods. He kisses her cheek before he walks away, walking backwards and waving at her. She waves back and opens the door, doing her best to slowly sneak inside. To her relief she sees that Cedar is already laying in her bed, snoring away ever so loudly. Still Cerise does her best to walk on her toes over to her side of the room, not bothering to undress and just laying down and tucking herself in underneath the covers.  
 _This is just a dream and tomorrow everything will be...just like normal..._

 _ **The end is just the beginning...**_


	9. Chapter 9

Cerise's PoV  
Cerise sits down in front of her mirror with a yawn. It is time to put on make-up. She takes a look at her reflection and narrows her eyes. Something is different about her. Her eyes aren't as bright and the colour to her face is missing. She sighs and decides to hocus focus on the make-up products all lined up by the mirror. There aren't that many, as she doesn't wear much of it, not even the base foundation. Just lip-gloss in a natural shade, a bit of eyeliner and mascara.  
"Today is a great day!~" Cedar says happily as she rises from her bed, (almost like a vampire in a coffin) and yawns from her side of the dorm room. She stretches her arms up high above her head, her joints cracking. "Don't you agree, Cerise?~" she smiles at her roommate, jumping out of bed.  
Cerise shrugs and begins with putting on the black eyeliner to her left eye. "I'm not much of a morning person, but today I feel really off the page."  
Cedar begins to make her bed and then takes out some clothes for the day. She puts on a dress and skips over to where Cerise sits. "Can you zip me up, please?"  
Cerise sighs and puts the eyeliner-pen between her teeth, pulling up the zipper on the dress.  
"Thank you.~" Cedar sits down beside her and takes out her own beauty-products, in this case a hairbrush. She brushes through her hair and then puts on a diadem. "Well, I better get going."  
"Huh? Where?" Cerise looks at Cedar.  
Cedar giggles. "To the Castleteria, of-course."  
"Can't you..wait for me? Please?" Cerise begs.  
Cedar shakes her head and gets up from the chair. "It's top-secret and I really have to go now before I-!" She covers her mouth with both her hands and skips over to the door whilst mumbling on.  
Cerise tilts her head to the side as she watches her friend preventing herself from spelling out a secret. "Okay, I guess I'll see you later then?"  
Cedar nods and does something with her hand that is suppose to look like a wave, but it just looks weird. Then she opens the door and drags herself out and closes the door. Cerise slowly shakes her head at her best friend forever after. Cedar is the most honest person Cerise knows and she knows how hard it is for her to keep a secret. Hex, Cerise knows how hard it is to keep a secret! Yet Cedar handled it very well, although she looked very funny while doing it.  
Cerise returns to hocus-focus on her make-up. Eyeliner is set, so what's next? Her mind wanders as she puts on lip-gloss. What is so great about today? What is the secret that Cedar must keep hidden? And how can it be that Cedar is so... so upbeat? She herself has an hextreme headache, in fact she has an hextreme ache in her whole body.  
 _What did I do yesterday that makes me feel so hexhausted? What the hex is this kind of pain?_ Cerise looks at herself in the mirror, closes her eyes and hocus-focuses to remember. The only things that comes to mind is really loud music, a room full of people spinning around before her eyes. _No use... I think I had fun though? Oh gord, I really hope I didn't make a fool out of myself._  
A loud grumble from her stomach calls her back to the present moment. She grimaces to her reflection in the mirror. _Better go downstairs and dig my teeth in some breakfast._

While walking through the hallways to get to the Castleteria she can't help but notice that the students that she walks past are looking at her, right at her. Cerise pulls the front of her hood to cover her face. She dares not to look at anyone and yet she kind of wants to because wherever she goes the students starts to whisper when she comes near them. She wants to confront them and tell them all to stop, to shut up, because they are talking about her. She it certain of it.  
Cerise hates to be in the spotlight and being watched like this makes her feel as if the walls are closing in on her. Her heart beats rapidly and hard in her chest. She looks down at her feet instead of confronting anyone, pretending that she is invisible and that she can't be seen, not noticing that someone is standing in the way before her.  
"Woop! Cerise, there you are!" clings the bubble voice of Madeline Hatter, followed by her even bubblier laughter.  
Cerise looks up, confused and a little scared. Like a wolf being spotted by the huntsman whilst being on the run for its life.  
"And you're just on time too! Come on!~" Maddie grabs her by the arm and pulls her with her to the entrance of the Castleteria.  
"Cerise! Over here!" Hunter calls out, waving at Cerise and Maddie. He smiles happily.  
Cerise feels her heart drop because it's not only Hunter that looks at her, every fairytale in the Castleteria looks at her. She whimpers like a scared puppy and wiggles a little to get loose from Maddie's grip.  
Hunter stands up from the table and walks up to her, and thankfully everyone else looks away, pretending to not pay attention to them. His happy smile turns to a concerned look once he stands before her.  
"Are you okay? You look a bit... pale." He gently strokes her cheek with his finger.  
"She looks _a bit_ green to me," says Maddie and tilts her head. "Cerise, are you feeling hat-tastic or have your insides gone all topsy-turvy?" She lets go of Cerise and looks at her from toe to hood.  
"I think I'm gonna be sick.." Cerise says, softly like a whisper.  
She backs away from Maddie and Hunter and runs away. She rushes as quick as her legs can bare her. Through the hallway, she pushes students to off to both sides to make her way through.

"Cerise?" Daring looks after her when he gets pushed into the lockers behind him. "I've got to go and help her."  
"Awh Daring, it's probably nothing. Cerise always runs in the corridors." Apple says, waving her arms up above her head to show that Cerise is a minor thing to be concerned about.  
Daring looks at her trough Briar's sunglasses that Apple now wears. She's been wearing them all morning.  
"She never pushes people." he says and turns to jog after Cerise.  
"She's not even a real damsel!" Apple growls inwardly and stomps with her foot.

Cerise continues to run although her legs weakens and her head is spinning. She doesn't stop until she reaches the toilets and locks herself in.  
Quickly bending over the loo.  
Throwing up.  
The other girls in the Girl's Room squeal in disgust and leaves as fast as they can.

Cerise cries between her coughs, the tears running down her cheek.  
 _I have never felt so humiliated before in my life..._  
She wipes her cheeks and blows her blocked nose with toilet paper.  
"Cerise? Are you in here?"  
"I-I'm here..." Her voice barely bares. She makes an effort to stand up and pushes the button to flush.  
There's a knock on the door to the toilet booth she's in. She wipes her cheeks again before opening the door.  
"How are you feeling? Are you sick?"  
She steps out and goes to the sink. She doesn't even want to look at herself in the mirror.  
"You look terrible. I mean- you don't look so good, right now."  
She fills her hands with cold water and splashes it to her face. With her eyes closed she grabs a towel and pats her face dry. She sighs and meets her reflection.  
"It's probably the alcohol, you had plenty to drink. Maybe a little too much, I think."  
 _Alcohol?_  
She turns around and peers up at him. He gently takes her hand and pulls her in for a hug.  
 _No wonder why I don't remember anything!_  
"It will be okay." He looks down at her and fires off a little smile. "You'll feel better in no-time."  
"What hexactly happened...last night?"  
He begins to answer, when the door suddenly opens.  
"Cerise!"  
The door closes behind Daring.  
Cerise quickly lets go of Hunter.  
"D-daring!" She blushes madly of embarrassment from having Daring see her like this, all green and terrible.  
"Are you alright?" He walks up to her, looking at her. Cerise feels her heart slowly beginning to beat faster.  
"She is fine, Daring. I've got her." Hunter says, firmly putting his arm around her, holding her to him. As if she needed protection, or to show Daring something.  
" _Fine_ is not good enough." Daring replies without looking away from her. Cerise feels her cheeks burning again and she is slowly dying on the inside when she imagines how that red looks with the green in her face.  
 _I must look like a clown, or a freak... Oh gord, what is he doing?_  
She finds herself being softly pulled away from Hunter.  
"I think you need some air. And water. You don't mind, do you?" Daring gives Hunter a serious look before he helps Cerise out of the Girl's Room.

Apple's PoV  
 _I can't believe him! He actually ran after her! What a Royal fairyfail!_  
Apple angrily stomps away from her locker. She had just been stood up by Daring, her own fairytale prince. _How very royally charming is it to run after a simple girl like Cerise Hood?_ Not so royally charming at all, if Apple gets to decide.  
A small boy-goat clears his throat, tugging at her skirt as she walks by. She quickly spins around and looks down at him.  
"For you, maaah~fair princess.~" He gives her a little flower and smiles, happily wagging his tiny little tail.  
"Aaaaawwww thank you!~" Apple smiles happily and takes the flower.  
She pats his head and then walks away. Her happy smile quickly turns into a unhappy frown. She growls inwardly.  
"Uh-oh, fairyfail alert!" She hears Briar saying from somewhere in the hallway. Somewhere close. Close as behind her-close.  
Briar puts her hand on Apple's shoulder, stopping her. Apple spins around and faces bet best friend forever after, and when Briar meets her eyes she doesn't need Apple to tell her that something is wrong because her whole aura is beaming with it.  
"How about a field-trip to the Hocus Latte?"

Hunter's PoV  
 _Great. Just perfect._  
Hunter is in the Enchanted Forest, throwing rocks into the pond. The birds aren't singing, there is no wind playing through the trees. Everything is quiet, hexcept for Hunter.  
After Daring came in and totally ruined his moment with Cerise and then took her away as if he owned her, Hunter left the school grounds and went to the Enchanted Forest in a very bad mood. He didn't want to talk with anyone, not even Pesky. Nor the birds or any other creature in the forest.  
At first they had been singing to him, greeting him ever so happily but he had told them off very quickly. He had come to sort out his anger and jealousy, not to chit-chat.  
And so, Hunter now throws stones and rocks into the pond, pretending that they are Daring Charming.  
"She part of _my_ story!" He throws a average sized rock.  
"She is _my_ damsel!" He throws a bigger rock into the pond.  
"It was _me_ she kissed! It was me she agreed to be in a relationship with! You're just a greedy stuck-up self-centred stupid hexcuse for a prince!" He yells and throws a huge rock, using both his arms to throw it into the pond.  
The water splashes everywhere. Hunter's rapid breathing slowly comes at an ease as he watches the rings on the water slowly dying out. He sits down on the sand-beach with a sigh.  
Pesky swiftly runs to him and places his tiny paw on his leg, peering up at him. Hunter looks down at the little squirrel, strokes his tiny head with a finger and carefully picks him up.  
Pesky squeaks and points with his whole arm towards something behind him.  
"Huh?" Hunter turns to look behind him. He raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Ashlynn?"  
"Hi Hunter," Ashlynn Ella smiles a little and waves with her hand from where she stands by the trees.  
"What are you doing here?" He turns around with his whole body to face her, still sitting down.  
Ashlynn takes a step forward. "You pet- Pesky, he told me that you were upset and that you needed someone to talk to."  
Hunter peers at Pesky. "Seriously?"  
Pesky nods, crossing his arms across his chest.  
Hunter looks up at Ashlynn. She blushes slightly and sits down beside him.  
"So... What is troubling you so much?"  
Hunter sighs softly.  
"Is it...girl-problems?"  
Hunter nods. "Yep."  
Ashlynn wraps her arms around her legs, peering down at her high-heels of glass. "Oh..."  
"She is destined to be mine, according to the story, aaand Daring took her away."  
"Maybe...they're just friends?" Ashlynn suggests.  
Hunter shrugs. "I've never seen them together before. You royals don't usually hang out with us rebels," he looks at her and she smiles a little. A smile that he doesn't know how to read. She looks so sad. "Why are you smiling?"  
Ashlynn looks away, gazing out at the pond. "If she is your destined one then why did you let her go away? You are a Huntsman, Hunter. You hunt your prey and you don't stop until you catch it."  
"Are you saying that Cerise is my prey?" He laughs a little.  
"Yes." She looks at him, he smiles. "What's so funny?"  
"I'm sorry, I just never looked at it that way. So what do you suggest I'd do? I mean I've hunted before but not... Not like this."  
He looks at her and their eyes meet. He smiles a little when he sees her cheeks blushing softly with a light shade of pink.  
"You could take her on a date, do something you both like or-"  
"Like a picnic?"  
"Oh I love picnics.~" Ashlynn sighs happily and smiles, her green eyes sparkling. "I-I mean picnics are good, that's a good idea. Take her to a picnic."  
Hunter peers at her with a raised eyebrow and smiles. He chuckles. "Okay. What else can I do?"  
"You can express yourself and tell her how you feel."  
"But she knows. I told her."  
"Ah but when did you tell her? At the party when you most certainly were completely wasted and cried when you s- I mean, when you were completely wasted?" Ashlynn clears her throat.  
Hunter's eyes widens. She blushes madly, thinking that he figured out what she almost spelled out.  
"Ooooh..." He says slowly, snapping with his fingers. "She doesn't know! She has no idea that she's my girlfriend!"  
Pesky facepalms himself.  
Ashlynn sighs. "She obviously doesn't."  
"Then I must tell her!" He exclaims hexcitedly.  
Ashlynn smiles at his hexcitement, but her eyes aren't happy. Pesky is the only one who sees this. Hunter is too busy planning what he will say to Cerise and how he will swoon her on a date.  
"Do you think she likes me back?" He suddenly asks. "I mean, if she agreed to be in a relationship with me when we were drunk...maybe she doesn't really like me?"  
"How could she not like you? I mean... You are heroic, caring and smart and very handsome..." Ashlynn says and blushes.  
"Really? I'm handsome and heroic?" Hunter sits a bit straighter up.  
Ashlynn nods. "Very.."  
Hunter looks proud. "Well then I'd better get to it." He leans in and gives her a peck on her cheek and then stands up.  
"Thank you Ashlynn.~" he winks at her and smiles before wandering off.

Ashlynn Ella holds her hand to the place where he had kissed her. Her whole body tingles, her insides are squealing of joy.  
She looks down at the little squirrel.  
"H-how did I do?" She asks happily.  
Pesky gives her a thumbs up and a thumbs down. His facial expression is grumpy, as if he's not pleased with how their meeting went.  
"He kissed me," she giggles and sighs happily. "That must mean something."

Brooke, gasping hexcitedly: "Is there a love triangle coming up?"  
Female narrator: "Brooke, what have we said about spoilers!"  
Brooke: "It wasn't a spoiler! I was just guessing!"  
Male narrator, quickly interrupting before his wife can respond to Brooke: "I think we should call it a day for now."  
Female narrator, squinting her eyes at her husband and sighing: "Fine."

 _ **The end is just the beginning...**_


	10. Chapter 10

Apple's PoV  
The Hocus Latte is crowded with just the right amount of customers this Saturday morning. Apple sits by a round table by the window, frowning and sighing angrily.  
After she and Briar had left the school to go to Book End, Apple had her first real venting-session, telling Briar about what had happened in the hallway. She had been behaving most unroyally and unprincessy, screaming and yelling on the top of her lounges to express how disappointed and angry she was with Daring, but mostly with Cerise. The people they had passed by had given them scared and horrified looks. Who had known that their princess could yell like that and send out such negative energy?

Female narrator: "Luckily for her, Briar is a very good listener-"  
Male narrator, cutting in: "As long as she doesn't fall asleep!"  
Female narrator, narrowing her eyes and continuing: "And she is a very, very supportive best friend forever after."

Briar comes back with their lattes.  
"One fairy caramel with extra cream for you," She places the large cup latte in front of Apple and sits down with her own, an even larger cup with a lot more caffeine in it. She sucks on the straw that came with it.  
"Soo...?" Briar says, looking at Apple with a smile that indicates that they should keep talking about it.  
It being the hood-problem. As they agreed to call it.  
"I don't know!" Apple cries out sadly. "Why would she do this to me, Briar?"  
Briar blinks in surprise, eating the cream off her latte with the spoon as she thinks for a moment. "Maybe she-"  
"Maybe she wants to take my Happily Ever After from me!" Apple gasps, grabbing both sides of the little table to stay grounded.  
Briar shakes her head. "I don't think so. Cerise isn't the princess-kind of girl. I think that maybe she was just sick from all the alcohol she had had at the party, and you know how Daring is."  
Apple shakes her head, looking almost hopeless. "No."  
Briar sighs a little. "He's a prince Charming. He helps damsels in distress. It's kind of his thing."  
"Yeah but, he is my Prince Charming! Why did he have to run after her like that, as if he actually cared about her!" Apple complains loudly, like an emotional girl talking about her favourite OTP that still hasn't become headcanon while being on her period.  
"Because she is a damsel and if she was green-looking then she was in distress too. Simple as that." Briar says, shrugging lightly. "But if you are worried that she has feelings for him then maybe...you should tell her to back off?"  
Apple gasps. There is a light in her eyes that wasn't there before. She spreads her lips in a smile that grows wider and wider, until she resembles with the smile of the Cheshire Cat from Wonderland. Apple White just got a hexcellent idea.  
"I'll tell her alright," she says confidentially. "I will show her who's the princess in this world and make sure that she will know where her place is."  
"Ohh? How?" Briar asks with three ounces of hexcitement. "Are you going to slap her?~"  
Apple smiles and takes out a golden envelope and gives it to Briar.  
"Oh my Grimm! Can you take me with you?~" Briar's eyes sparkles. "That sounds like it is going to be a total page-ripper!~"  
Apple shakes her head and takes back the envelope, firmly putting it in her apple-shaped bag.  
"Oh!" Briar gasps. "You're bringing her! But why?"  
Apple smiles a cocky smile. "To show her who's boss of-course."  
"Duuh! But how!" Briar flips with her spoon, accidentally throwing cream at the wall. "Whoops..."  
"Oh, I have my ways.~" Apple crosses her arms above her chest and leans back in her chair with a confident smile on her face. _Cerise Hood, you won't stand a chance._

Hunter's PoV  
 _What is it that you're usually being told when it comes to girls? If you're going to tell a girl that you like her, do it when you're sober. Alcohol toughens you up but it weakens your memory. I really should have thought of that! But hex, I'm happy to tell her one more time! If only, I could find her..._

Hunter walks towards the entrance to the library, hands in his pockets and head down. He has been looking everywhere but without any luck of finding Cerise.  
Talking with Ashlynn had made him all pumped and hexcited. He had especially liked the part where she had compared Cerise with the prey of a huntsman. He had been full of ideas for the most perfect date ever after, but when he couldn't find the girl his hexcitement began to fade.  
 _Great. Not only do I fail setting up my traps, I can't even hunt down Cerise._  
He sighs as he enters the library. The two evil step-librarians gives him an annoyed look. Both of them puts their bony fingers to their lips and says: "Sssshhh!"  
Hunter frowns at them and keeps walking. He sit down at a table full of books, shrinking down in the chair.  
"Hunter?"  
"Hm?" He looks up and sees Cedar sitting next to him. "Hello Cedar."  
Cedar smiles at him. "Soo, how did it go? Did she like my decorations?~"  
Hunter sighs. "She ran away, Cedar."  
"Whaaat? But I worked so hard! I even managed to keep it a secret!"  
"SSSHHH!" The two evil step-librarians points with their bony fingers to their eyes and then at Hunter and Cedar.  
"Whoops..." Cedar hides behind the pile of books on the table. "Why did she run away?" She whispers.  
"She got sick. And then Daring came and now I can't find her." Hunter whispers back. "Uuughhhh...!" He growls inwardly and unhappily.  
"Wait a splinter," Cedar says.  
Hunter looks at her. "What..?"  
She smiles. "Have you checked the FairyCare-wing?"  
He raises his eyebrows, eyes wide of aha! "No, I didn't think about that actually. Weird..." he scratches the back of his neck, feeling rather embarrassed. "I should have, since she's sick..."  
"Hey, don't worry about it Hunter," Cedar says with a smile and stands from her chair. "Listen, I've got to go back to my dorm now and study, but send a text if you'd need help, or something."  
Hunter nods slowly, softly nibbing at his bottom lip. "Yeah. Sure."  
"Cheer up, Hunter, I'm sure Cerise will feel better in no-time." Cedar smiles. "After-all, Dr. King Charming is the best doctor ever after."  
 _Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of..._  
She swiftly walks off, waving a little at Hunter. He sighs heavily, shrinking down most ungracefully.

Cerise's PoV  
Although the world she lives in is all about magic, the FairyCare-wing of Ever After High is the least magical-looking place a student can find herself in. The lights are so bleached it hurts her eyes wherever she looks - the walls, the floors, the ceiling. Everything is covered in this special white, so pale and somewhat blurry. So Cerise keeps her eyes shut.  
She lies down on a bed, which has white bedsheets, white covers and a white pillow. On the bedside-table is a glass of water and a water-bottle. There is a needle in her arm. It is attached to a bag of fluid, standing behind her. It drip-drops slowly through a thin tube, from the bag down to her arm. Into her body through the needle.  
Ever so often a nurse comes in to check on her. Why? She still doesn't know. No-one talks to her, not even Daring. Why? That, she does not know either.  
When they had arrived to the entrance she had barely been conscious. Daring had yelled at the receptionist to get his father, and when she hadn't been fast enough he had yelled even louder. And almost instantly, Dr. King Charming had appeared out of no-where.

 _"What is the meaning of this?" Dr. King Charming looked at Cerise, barley standing on her own two feet, being supported by Daring who basically holds her whole body up. "We must take her to a room immediately!_ "  
 _Cerise could feel herself being lifted and carried, her legs slowly swaying to the rhythm of Dr. King Charming's hurried steps. Soon she felt her body being placed on something hard, something cold. She whimpered silently. It felt like she was falling and landing on icy rocks._  
 _The touch of his fingers to her skin as he examined her felt so foreign, so surreal. He took her pulse, listened to her heart. Cerise could feel her eyelid being opened, but saw nothing._  
 _"Nurse!" Dr. King Charming spun around from the bed, grabbed a pair of plastic gloves from a table close-by._  
 _"What's wrong with her?" she heard Daring ask, standing close to her side._  
 _"NURSE! ONCE UPON A TIME, PLEASE!" Dr. King Charming roared towards the door, ignoring Daring for now._  
 _"So sorry, Doctor!" the high-pitched voice of a small nurse squeaked as she ran. "I-I was at the loo..."_  
 _"Please tell me that you washed your hands!" Dr. King Charming let a frustrated and loud sigh. The short nurse nodded. "Good. So, Daring has brought us damsel in a critical condition. I need my tools."_  
 _As the nurse ran out of the room, Cerise became unconscious._  
 _"What do you mean 'critical'?" Daring said, almost sounding angry._  
 _The door opened and the short nurse came running, carrying on a hextremely wide and heavy bag. Dr. King Charming grabbed it, opened it and stuck his hand inside it. When he took it out again, he held the most weird object Daring had ever seen._  
 _"What. Is. That." he said, starring at it. It was tiny, the size of a pen but looked like nothing Daring had seen his father use before. "Dad, what is wrong with her?"_  
 _Dr. King Charming turned to look at his son. He barely ever called him 'dad'. It was always 'father' or 'Sir'._  
 _"She is poisoned, at the edge of fading away completely. With this," he held up the object to Daring's eyes. "I can analyse her whole body-system and detect-"_  
 _"Woah, slow down. Poisoned? How?" Daring wrinkled his nose in disbelief. "And you know this how, hexactly? You've only taken her pulse!"_  
 _"I have seen something like this before." Dr. King Charming gave his son a hard look. "A long time ago. But it can't be..." he said the last part mostly to himself, as if he thought out loud._  
 _He leaned over Cerise's body, hocus-focusing the pen-like object at her. He pressed a button and a blue light switched on at the top of it, followed by a buzzing sound as he scanned her body with it._  
 _Daring tilted his head to the side, watching his father. "What is that thing?"_  
 _Dr. King Charming let go of the button. The blue light switched off and the buzzing stopped. He gave it a little shake and looked at it closely, reading the signal._  
 _"No way... It can't be..." Dr. King Charming shook his tool again and re-read the signal. "But that's impossible..."_  
 _"What is impossible? Dad, just tell me what's wrong with her!" Daring said, almost shouting._  
 _"What's your relation to this girl?" Dr. King Charming looked right at his son._  
 _Daring could feel his cheeks turn red. He swallowed hard. "We're just friends. Just friends..."_  
 _Dr. King Charming narrowed his eyes at him, as if he didn't quite believe his son._  
 _"What does it have to do with anything by the way?" Daring crossed his arms across his chest. "Now will you tell me-"_  
 _"Daring, I need you to leave." Dr. King Charming pointed towards the door._  
 _"No." Daring shook his head. "I'm not leaving. Cerise needs me." He took her hand to show her she had his support, even though she couldn't see it or feel it at that moment._  
 _Dr. King Charming's eyes grew wide as saucers. He gave Daring's hand a hard slap. "Don't touch her!"_  
 _Daring stared at his father. "What the hex is wrong with you?"_  
 _"I beg your pardon?" Dr. King Charming put down the pen-analyser and looked at his son. "You clearly don't know much, my son. If you want to be able to attend your Bookball practise this week I suggest you leave, now."_  
 _Daring roared angrily and stomped away from the bed. He filled his lounges with the air in the room and clenched his fists, making himself look large. As he passed a table with a plastic flower on, he punched it into the wall._  
 _He was so angry right now. How could his father be so stupid and throw him out when all he wanted was to stay with Cerise._  
 _He gave his father one last look of complete anger and disappointment before exciting the room._

Cerise groans inwardly as she attempts to sit up. She has been awake for some time now and yet the only person who has come to see her is the nurse, who doesn't say anything but "You must drink water."  
 _Next time she comes I'll ask her where Daring is._  
Cerise closes her eyes again and tries to remember what had happened after she got here, but her mind is blank. The last thing she actually remembers is walking down the hallway and all the students, the lockers and the objects, everything slowly started to blend in with everything else. She remembers just hexactly how it had looked, and it gives her the chills.  
The door opens. Cerise opens her eyes, squinting quite a bit because of the lights, and forces herself to sit up, in hope that it is Daring that has come to see how she is doing. Unfortunately, it is Charming Señor and not Charming Junior who walks up to her.  
"Doctor Charming," Cerise says to greet him, almost out of breath.  
He looks at her coldly, joining his hands together. Cerise tugs at her hood to pull it further over her head. Her heart beating fast inside her chest. Dr. King Charming's eyes are blue like Daring's, but the way he looks at her... He looks right at her, right through her. Straight into the very core of her being.  
"Lock all doors and windows." He points at the door and the windows, and they lock themselves.  
"What!" Cerise's eyes flashes with yellow, her ears are drawn back under the hood.  
"So we can talk, privately." He gives away a tiny smile, to show that he's not evil in any way.  
"Oh... Okay.." Cerise bites her bottom lip, a little nervous.  
"Tell me your name."  
"Cerise. Cerise Hood."  
"So you're the daughter of Red Riding Hood?"  
Cerise nods. "Yes, Sir."  
"Now tell me, your _whole_ name."  
Cerise gasps. He knows!  
Dr. King Charming takes out a file and reads out loud from a document: her birth certificate. "Gender, girl. Born, 31st of October. Parents, Red Riding Hood. Name, Cerise Hood. Now if you look closely, you can see that two letters has been badly erased."  
He looks up from the document and hocus-focuses on her. "What does R.E stand for?"  
Cerise swallows hard. "R-Riley Evangeline."  
Dr. King Charming narrows his eye at her. "There's no use in lying to me. R.E, what does it stand for."  
Cerise sighs, looking down on her hands.  
 _I am sorry..._  
"My name is Cerise Rex Ezo Hood. Rex stands for Canis lupus rex. Ezo is short for Ezookami." Her voice is so soft he can barely hear her.  
Dr. King Charming puts away the file and leans back against the table behind him. Cerise doesn't dare to look at him. Inside her head a million thoughts run amok.  
 _He knew. And now he will kick me out. He will kick out Ramona too; buss the police at my parents and then everything we worked so hard for to protect will be smashed into a million pieces. Mum will be taken to prison and dad will be hexcecuted... Oh my fairy godmother, what have I done?_  
She covers her face in her hands, crying against the palms of her hands.  
Dr. King Charming, being just that (a doctor and a Charming), gives Cerise a tissue. "Maybe you would like to know how I know?" He looks at her as she dries her tears and blows her nose.  
"Y-yeah..."  
Dr. King Charming nods slowly and inhales, standing up properly. "Do you know what strychnine is?" He looks at her.  
Cerise shakes her head.  
"It is a poison," he begins. "It is an odourless, colourless crystalline powder, a poison so strong that only a small amount is needed to produce severe effects and fatality. I won't tell you everything it does, but, I will tell you this. Death caused by strychnine is one of the most inhumane deaths ever after. It usually occurs within one to two hours on the onset of clinical signs, but it can take up to 24 hours or longer is the dose is low."  
"W-why are you telling me this?" Cerise whispers, tugging on her bottom lip.  
"I'm telling you _R.E_ , because I saved your father's life from a poison like that a long time ago."  
Cerise starts to cry again.  
"He had been drinking at the bar and someone poured it into his drink, a small dose but still big enough to take his life. It was a miracle that I managed to help him so fast."  
"H-how...wh-why..." Cerise tries to speak but her voice is stuck in her throat. She sighs sadly.  
"The kind of poison that you had in your body was the same as your father had. But a much smaller dose. Now this poison is produced for the hunt of werewolfs and works like a drug. It has to be mix it with alcohol,"  
Cerise hides her face in her hands.  
"and it doesn't have any colour, it doesn't smell or taste anything." Dr. King Charming continues on. "The effects are still not quite certain but there are a few that is bound to happen. The first one: it only has an effect werewolves. Second one: It forces the person to constantly transform into its werewolf form and back to human form. Third is the process of killing the beast. This part is the uncertain one as every case I've seen has been played out differently."  
"H-how many have you seen...?"  
He sighs. "Too many. Each was unique in its own way. I am not going to describe it to you but I want to be very clear with that both you and your father are very lucky to be alive. The dose you had been given was the smallest one that can be given, and luckily for you your body was fighting back."  
"What do you mean? I've never felt weaker than this in my life..."  
"Okay, first things first. You should have died during the night, but you didn't. Somehow your body wasn't affected by it, or it was protecting itself in someway. It's very interesting actually, because you're not the next Badwolf. But you carry the werewolf-gene from your father, just like your sister does. Yet she is destined to be the next Badwolf. How's that so?"  
"I don't know... Ramona has always been more of a wolf than me. She was born with wolf-ears, I wasn't..." Cerise shrugs a little. She looks up at him. "What do you mean with 'werewolf-gene'? I can't transform, neither can Ramona. Yet anyway."  
Dr. King Charming strokes his chin, thinking. "Interesting..." He walks over to the row of tables at standing by the wall, taking out files and papers with diagrams. He stands bent over them, reading and mumbling to himself.  
Cerise tugs at her bottom lip. _What is going on here?_ For some reason she had been poisoned and about to die. Dr. King Charming had an interest in her heritage that was suppose to be a secret forever after, and he didn't seem to consider it to be something bad.  
She peers at him from her hood.  
"Ha-ha!" He suddenly exclaims, with sensation of the aha-experience, causing Cerise to jump a little. "Why didn't I think of this before?" He laughs and gasps at the same time, turning around facing her. His hair is far from perfect and his eyes even far from charming.  
"Doctor Charming, why do you have that mad-scientist-look on your face?" Cerise ask, half growling because his whole expression frightens her.  
"It's all here, it all makes sense now," he points back with his whole arm to the files on the table. "You see, I've been studying werewolves for many years now because the weird deaths around them disturbed me so much... Well. I found them disturbing, the deaths, but no-one else cared much about it."  
"Ooookay." Cerise swallows hard, beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable. She had had no idea that the King of all Charming's was so caring.  
 _New promise to myself - never judge a person before you actually know him or her._  
Dr. King Charming climbs up and sits on top of the table by her bed. Cerise spreads her eyes wide open.  
"What are you doing?"  
"I'm having a breakthrough, or something like a breakthrough, hrmm..." He runs his hand through his already messy hair, thinking hard again.  
Cerise sighs. This is staring to go too far. Even though it is quite interesting and so am curious about what he has to tell about werewolves, it also scares me.  
"Doctor Charming... with all respect, please don't tell anyone about my family's secret..."  
He sits still for a moment, going through laws and protocols in his mind. "Due to the laws we have I must tell the highest authority of the Magical World about your parents and reveal what you truly are."  
"Oh gord..." Cerise hangs with her head. _My life is officially over. Life is officially over for the Badwolfs and Hoods._

 _ **The end is just the beginning...**_


	11. Chapter 11

Cerise's PoV  
"Due to my personal interests and concerns, I will not."  
Cerise looks up at Dr. King Charming who smiles at her.  
"You won't?" She whispers. "Honestly?"  
He nods. "If you are who I think you are, then you are too important to give away. But," he jumps down from the table and straightens out his white doctor-coat, fixing his hair so it looks perfectly charming again. "I am a man of tradition and I believe very strongly in our stories and destinies. Until I am certain about your true identity and destiny you must stick to the one you already have. Also, you must stay as far away from Daring as possible."  
"What does Daring have to do with this?" Cerise wrinkles her nose. "Wait, what do mean 'stay away'? And what is this talk about my 'true identity and destiny'?" Her eyes are spread wide. "I don't understand!"  
"I don't expect you to. You will come to understanding everything in time."  
"So you will tell me more? Good."  
"Not now."  
Dr. King Charming looks at the door and then smiles a little at her. "You are well enough to leave but before you go, I must take do some tests, blood-tests."  
Cerise grimaces, shaking her head. "Please no."  
"If you want answers to your questions then you must let me do tests on you! I can't work with your DNA if I don't have a bit of it. Look, _R.E_... I don't know everything either but from what I know so far..." he sighs silently, shaking his head a little. "If I'm right and you are... You could be the saviour of us all."  
Cerise bursts out laughing whilst shivers runs through her whole body. She covers her mouth and presses her lips together to stop laughing, but it's hard.  
"I'm really sorry Doctor Charming, I honestly don't think it's funny, to be hexact what you just said scared the fairycrap out of me..." She says once she has calmed down a little.  
Dr. King Charming gives her a gentle smile. "That's alright. I hope needles doesn't scare you as much though." He shows her the thin needle before sticking her arm with it.  
"Ouch!" Cerise growls behind her teeth. She bites her bottom lip hard as the blood is being sucked up to a tiny bottle-tube connected to the needle.  
He removes the needle and puts on a little bandage on her arm and smiles. "Perfect. You can go now."  
"Yeah, thanks Doc, but I'm kind of attached to this thing..." She gives off a half smile, pointing back to the tube behind her. "What is it anyway?"  
He looks at her and chuckles. "Oh, that is, water. I figured you wouldn't drink yourself, even though I told the nurse to check on you to do it, so I put you on drops." He smiles and take out the needle from her arm. "Now you may go."  
Cerise rubs her arm slightly and glides down from the bed. It feels strange to stand on her own two feet again, they are quite numb. She pulls the front of her hood further down before her eyes and walks away. When she is at the door, she stops and looks back at Dr. King Charming.  
"Hey Doc,"  
"Yes?" He looks at her with friendly eyes.  
"Don't call me R.E again."  
He smiles wide, as if he amused him. "Just remember what I told you. Stick to your path and stay away from Daring."  
Cerise sighs.  
"I will call on you when I've got the results from the tests, alright?"  
She nods and gives him a little wave. "Have a nice day, Doctor Charming."  
"You too, _R.E._ "

Hunter's PoV  
He had never been to this part of the school before. He didn't even know that it existed. But here it is, the enormous FairyCare. A hospital for the teachers, staff and students at Ever After High. Run and owned by no-one more charming than Dr. King Charming.  
Hunter laughs hysterically, inwardly, as he walks through the corridors that all look the same. Sure, this building is huge but it really isn't "fairy-like". Nor does it look charming.

Brooke: "Speaking of charming.~ I think I see one right over theeereeee!"  
Brooke points at Daring Charming who sits in a chair in the waiting room.  
Female narrator, clearing her throat: "Actually, Brooke, it is Hunter's Point of View now. We shouldn't break in like this."  
Brooke: "I'm not breaking in, I'm narrating. Besides, Daring got kicked out by his dad in the last chapter. I just wanted to include him so he won't feel so bad."  
Male narrator: "That's very kind of you Brooke but-"  
Brooke, interrupting her father: "How could we be breaking in anyway? What does that even mean?"  
Male narrator: "Well... Sometimes we don't always narrate. Sometimes we just watch over the characters and give highlights to some special events, or guide them through hard times."  
Brooke: "I don't get it."  
Female narrator, somewhat frustrated: "We tell what we see as important but most of the time we just sit back and watch them live their lives and make their own choices. We don't rule over them, we let them come alive and do as they like."  
Brooke, impressed: "Ooooh... How does that work?"  
Male narrator: "Well we give them of our life's essence."  
Brooke, gasping happily: "I always knew I was magical but my magic just went up to a higher level! Wow!"  
Female narrator, smiling: "That is lovely my dear, but we really have to get back to Hunter now. This part of the chapter belongs to him."  
Brooke, smiling happily: "Yes, mother."

After what seems like eternity, Hunter is back at the reception. Again. He laughs quietly to himself, scratching the back of his neck. How was it that he could not find his way around here? Being a huntsman he should be a hexcellent tracker and he is, most of the time anyway. But here, he feels completely lost.  
"Hexcuse me, do you need help with anything?"  
Hunter turns to the receptionist who smiles a little. "Yeah well..."  
"You have come here threes times now and each time you look so confused." She tilts her head a tiny bit.  
"I'm looking for someone," Hunter walks up and stops by the counter, resting his elbow on it. "Do you know if she's still here?"  
"I can check to if you want," the receptionist says with a smile. "What was the name?"  
"Cerise Hood."  
Hunter listens to the sound of buttons being pressed on the keyboard. A sound he doesn't hear that often as almost everything is all about touch-screens nowadays.  
"She's not in anymore."  
"Great..." Hunter sighs embarrassed of himself. What a great day for fairyfails.  
"She was signed out just a moment ago, she should still be in the building." The receptionist looks up at Hunter.  
He smiles, surprised and happily, "Thank you!" He dashes off from the counter to run off. The receptionist leaves her chair and follows him. "Just follow the main corridor and-!" she stops as she sees Hunter running into someone. She smiles and covers her mouth to prevent her giggles. "So cute..."

The receptionist returns to her place behind the counter with a feeling of _job well done_ and maybe I should volunteer as the next Eros?

"Cerise!" Hunter can barely contain his mix of happiness and surprise from both finding her and running into her.  
"Could you...help me up, please?" Cerise reaches out her hands.  
He grabs them firmly and pulls her up. "Sorry about that," he chuckles a little. He looks at her underneath the red velvet hood, giving her a little smile. Cerise tugs at the front of her hood and pulls it further over her head.  
"Are you feeling better now?"  
"Why? Do I still look terrible?"She gives him a glare before moving past him.  
He grabs her wrist and softly pulls her back to him. He holds her close and looks at her closely. Her grey eyes flickers under the hood, her lips are slightly separated and he can feel her short soft breaths against his face.  
He clears his throat discreetly, to strain himself as a rush of hormones rushes through his body.  
"I'm sorry that I made you feel ugly before, and that I didn't take care of you when you were sick.." He says softly, stroking away a white strand of her hair from her eyes.  
Cerise blushes slightly. "Why are you apologising..?" Her voice is as soft as a whisper.  
He smiles softly at her as he takes a hold of her hand instead of her wrist. "Because I think that you are beautiful."  
Cerise's cheeks fluster with a warm shade of red. No-one had called her that before. She looks down and clears her throat. "Th-this is a bit awkward, for me, can we do this somewhere else? Another time, maybe?" She bites her bottom lip, looking down at the tiny gap between them.  
"Go out with me." He says, again so softly it is almost as he whispers to her.  
Cerise looks up at him, her eyes spread in surprise. "Are you asking me out?"  
"Obviously," he chuckles and smiles softly, following her eyes as she looks at him closely. He can feel himself being studied and examined by her grey eyes by the way she looks at him, it gives him a hormone rush.  
"Why?" She asks. There is a hint of _bad-timing_ in her voice.  
"Because Cerise, I like you."  
She takes a step back. Hunter watches as she takes in what he just said. She has her arms wrapped around herself, her gaze is turned down towards the floor. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to chase after her like this and dump his feeling on her right after she had been let out from the FairyCare. He might be wasting his time waiting for her to say something back. But for once, Hunter doesn't feel lost or that he has failed. He had told her how he feels and he feels proud of doing so. Now he has absolutely nothing to lose.  
He looks around the place and imagines what it would be like if they would add a little more colours or a few paintings, or some green plants. He smiles at the thought when his eyes falls to look at someone shrunken down in a chair. It doesn't take long until his brain registers that it's Daring Charming. He is looking right at them. Right at her. And she is looking at him.  
Hunter looks from Daring to Cerise and then glances back at Daring before looking away from them both. He puts his hands into his pockets and turns his back to them, walking away.  
"Hunter wait," Cerise says behind him.  
He stops and turns around. She gives him a shy little smile that melts his heart. "I'm free after school tomorrow."  
"Gotcha," he winks and smiles. "We could hang out now too, if you want."  
"Sure," Cerise nods.  
Hunter opens the entrance door for her and when she walks past him he takes her hand. And so they walk out from the FairyCare together, hand in hand.

Cerise's PoV  
Her emotions are divided, split up into prices. So much had happened in a very short time. It isn't even time for lunch yet and she has already encountered death, been given hints about deeper secrets than her family's secret; she had been knocked to the ground, and she had been asked out - at the worst time ever after. Why did she agree to it then?  
Because Dr. King Charming's voice had still been in her head.  
Stick to your own path and stay away from Daring.  
At first she had thought that it would be a hard thing to do, but something inside her Sao that it would only be as hard as she would make it. And once Hunter's words had landed and she saw Daring, she understood that it wasn't going to be hard. She would only experience it as hard and awful.  
Why would I do that? She had asked her consciousness.  
Because you like him. You like Daring, her consciousness had replied.  
I'm sure I can come like Hunter too.  
She sighs, poking the pork on her plate with a fork. Even though she is hungry and her stomach is grumbling for food, she doesn't feel like eating. She is down too deep in thought.  
Suddenly there is a hand waving in front of her eyes, followed by the distant sound of voices and giggles. She slowly lifts her gaze from her plate and looks up at her friends.  
"Helloo, Ever After High to Cerise! Do you read us, Cerise?" Raven smiles.  
"Uuh yeah, I read you," Cerise replies, confused.  
"If the basket is empty then where are the scones?" Maddie giggles beside her.  
"Well what do you think then?" Raven says after swallowing down a slice of potatoes.  
"About?..."  
"The contest of-course! Once we're done with the Storybook-plays Mr. Piper is hosting a talent's show and anyone can enter - even the teachers!" Raven's eyes sparkles of hexcitement.  
"Wicked.~" Cerise says, cutting a slice of her pork. "Are you going to sign up?"  
Raven shakes her head. "I'm not sure. But Maddie is."  
Cerise raises her eyebrows at Madeline.  
"I am going to do magic and Holly will be my wonderous assistant!~" Maddie chimes happily and puts her arm around Holly O'Hair who sits beside her, squeeze-hugging her tightly.  
She waves a little and a very girly wave at Cerise. "Hi.~"  
Cerise tilts her head a little. "Hey."  
"We met, at the party. You were quite, drunk." Holly's voice of glee takes an odd turn of uncomfyness as she realises that she just put Cerise in an awkward place.  
"Yeah, no, I remember you." Cerise nods a little, shuffling pork into her mouth.  
"I'm sorry you got sick." Holly adds, trying to make it better.  
"I'm better now," Cerise replies. "But thanks."  
Holly smiles to her and then turns to talk to Maddie about something. Cerise continues to eat her pork.  
When they are done eating they all go separate ways: Raven and Maddie are going to the library to look for a book of riddles, Holly joins her royal friends in the Castleteria to talk about the latest rumours going on.  
Cerise walks down the hallway with her mind deep down in thoughts again. She kicks a ball of paper laying on the floor. She should be happy. After-all, she is alive. But she also has a lot of more to hide because of that, because Dr. King Charming knows something about her and that is not just her family's secret. He knows something more. He thinks that he knows something more.  
And then there's Daring.  
Cerise shakes her head roughly, as if to get it out of her head. She should just let it all go. It isn't as if they are the best of friends or anything like that. They barely even hang out; they don't talk to each other that much either. Yet Cerise can't help but to feel like that she and Daring has some kind of connection to each other.  
She walks out through the entrance doors and sits down on the staircase with a sigh. She gazes up at the blue sky. The sun shines brightly through a few fluffy white clouds. A bird sings somewhere in the distance.  
 _I really should be happy, or at least happier. What is important isn't Daring, what's important is my family's safety. And if Daring and I really are connected in some magical way (hoho Cerise, don't tell me you're falling in love now...) then we will find each other in the future, somehow. Maybe this is my destiny so far, that it has to be like this now. And maybe Hunter isn't so bad after-all?_  
She sighs loudly. _Oh Cerise, since when did you worry so much over boys?_

_**The end is just the beginning...**_


	12. Chapter 12

_"What are you talking about? We just got together?"  
"I'm telling you, I c-can't..."  
"Is this because of Pesky? Or did I do something?" He scratched his cheek.  
She shook her head. "It's not you, Hunter... It's me."  
She sighed.  
"Don't give me that bullshit. Cerise, whatever after it is, we can work it out together."  
He grabbed her by her shoulders and looked at her in her eyes.  
She looked away, pulling herself away from his embrace.  
"Cerise..."  
"I'm sorry."_

Cerise's PoV  
Today's class is outside - it's grimmnastics. To be the beginning of the fall season the weather is sunny and warm, and there is a slightly cooling breeze in the air. Cerise sits on the audience-stairs, watching as her classmates does the warm-up before their task. She looks at them with a feeling of longing and envy.  
They place themselves in a starting position behind the white line. Daring, Lizzie, Kitty, Raven, Maddie; Apple, Briar, Hopper, Ashlynn, Humphrey and Blondie. All perfectly lined up and gracefully bent down, hands in the ground.  
"On my mark!" Mr Gingerbread-man shouts, loud and croaky. He puts the whistle in his mouth and blows hard. "GO!"  
Cerise watches them spurt off. Daring takes the lead with Kitty behind him, running gracefully beside Lizzie, while Apple is working her feet to run past them both.  
"Ms Hatter, turn yourself 'round! How are you going to run away from hungry giants if you're facing them!" Mr Gingerbread-man yells, blowing his whistle.  
Maddie's bubbly laugh echoes over the field as she runs backwards, looking at Blondie and Hopper running behind her.  
"Come on, Maddie! Let's win this lap!" Raven cries hexcitedly beside her. She shuts her eyes as she speeds up.  
"Oh curses!" Briar shouts as Raven runs past her.  
Cerise watches them eagerly, her eyes turning yellow as a hawk's. She growls inwardly of hexcitement from seeing her friends run so fast.  
Cerise loves running - it makes her whole body glimmer with life. But she can't run during school hours, only at special days and on special occasions. When no-one sees her.  
"Yeaah! Go go Humphrey!~" Cerise cheers, waving her fist in the air as Humphrey passes both Hopper and Blondie.  
"O-oh...!" Hopper whimpers and POFF! He turns into a frog. "I am never going to win a race! Ribbit!"  
"Awh you little cutie, let me help you!" Blondie picks up Hopper and places him in her golden hair behind her blue ribbon. "Hold on tight Hopper!"  
Cerise covers her mouth, chuckling at the two. They do look very silly when they run like that. But teamwork is better than no work.  
"I am going to win this!" Daring says proudly as he gets closer to the end line. He looks up to the audience-stairs and flashes a charming smile to his group of fangirls, who all scream back for him. Except for Cerise. Daring gives her his genuine smile but it quickly fades away when she doesn't smile back.  
"Slacking Daring?~" Raven smirks as she runs past him, leaving a purple stain behind her.  
"No damsel is faster than Daring Charming!" Daring charges and runs faster, passing Raven.  
Cerise's eyes widen, watching the two compete about the winning spot. Raven leads, no Daring leads. Raven - Daring.  
"Whoo-hoo!~" Cerise jumps up from her seat as they cross the end line, Raven a tad before Daring.  
"But-but... You are a damsel! You can't win over me!" Daring pouts in protest. "I am the fastest!"  
"A bit of advice Daring: If you want to win over a damsel, make sure you're competing with one." Raven playfully brofists his shoulder, chuckling. Daring looks so confused and offended.  
She looks up at Cerise and waves at her happily.  
Cerise waves back, with both her arms. "Congratulations Raven!~"  
Daring looks over at Cerise too, tilting his head to the side.  
"Hey Charming," Raven puts her hand on his shoulder. "No hard feelings, right? It's just for fun anyway."  
"Yes. Right. Err.. Excuse me, Raven." Daring waves his hand at her, excusing himself and jogs over to the audience-stairs. The group of fangirls squeal happily as he attempts to walk up the stairs.  
Cerise is on her way down to go over to Raven when Daring stops her. She moves to the side but Daring stops her again. He smiles at her, that genuine smile again that she loves.  
"Cerise."  
"Daring."  
She moves to the other side, but he stands in her way again.  
"Ugh come on Daring, stop playing around!" Cerise groans, avoiding to look into his blue eyes. She crosses her arms across her chest. "Can't you see that I'm trying to walk here?"  
"Yes yes, I do." he smiles at her. "Hey, I want to ask you something. Can we talk?"  
"Not now Daring, I don't have time for this." she says quietly, walking past him and skips down the stairs, crossing the field to get to Raven.  
Daring watches as the two girls embrace each other in a hug. Behind him the group of girls moans his name, begging for a selfie with him, an autograph, a handshake, a date...  
"You were enchanting Raven, winning like that!"  
"Thanks Cerise, it was really fun!" Raven giggles.  
"Can we talk later!" Daring suddenly shouts at Cerise.  
Cerise turns to look at him and bursts out in laugher. He is , completely ignoring his followers behind him as they become very impatient and starts to tug at his sweaty shirt and pulling his arms. It looks like they are pulling him into pieces. Cerise bites her bottom lip and sighs quietly. "No, Daring!"  
Raven laughs at Daring's surprised and offended/sad face when they walk back to the girls dressing room, not really reflecting over why he looked like that. She sighs happily as she undresses herself, taking out a purple towel from her bag. Cerise sits on a bench, waiting for her friend to finish her shower and get her clothes back on.  
"Sooo, why aren't you participating in the grimmnastics-classes?" Raven asks from inside the shower. The hot water is steaming, filling the whole dressing room with a white, warm mist.  
"I-I have my period." Cerise says quickly.  
"Again? Maybe you should visit a doctor if you can't be 'active' when you're on your period - and you know who the doctor is." Raven comes back all wrapped up in her purple towel, her hair completely drenched from the shower. "Ooor will you tell me what's up?"  
Cerise bites her bottom lip, rubbing her arm slightly. Raven is one of her best friends forever after. She both admires her and sure she trusts her, but, would she really keep her biggest secret safe and hidden if she told her? Cerise is not so sure about that, yet.  
Still, it would be a relief to finally tell someone. Someone not being Dr. King Charming who, as it had turned out, knew more about her than she did herself. She could still not quite understand how it all was possible. And how is she going to tell Raven everything?  
Cerise sighs, peering down at her brown boots. "There's just...so much...I don't know where to begin..."  
Raven put her hand on hers and smiles. "Hey there's no rush, take your time."  
She begins to dress herself and dry her hair. "I just want you to know that I am here for you, at any time and at any day, what-ever after it may be," she looks into the mirror on the wall, brushing her long and thick hair. "Just call on me, yeah?"  
Cerise smiles underneath her hood. "Thanks Raven, that means a lot to me."  
"Well we are best friends forever after," Raven puts on her tiara and turns around, giving Cerise a serious look. "I just want you to know that I've got your back. Just like you've got mine."  
Cerise nods with a little smile. "Always."  
Raven smiles back and begins to pack her things into her bag. When she is done the two girls leaves the dressing room, heading back up to the school halls.  
The hallways are almost empty as the last classes of today ended for about 20 minutes ago and most of the students are outside enjoying the warmth or up in their dorms. Cerise enjoys the open space of the (almost) empty halls. When they are crowded with students it gets harder to breathe because of the heavy pressure in her chest from having to hide.  
They stop by by Raven's locker to pick up a couple of books. Cerise helps with carrying them as they are quite heavy and she is quite strong. Not as weak and naive as the Little Red Riding Hood originally was.  
"Wow what kind of books are these?" Cerise asks. "They looks so old and..." she sniffs lightly in the air. "Wow... They smell so old... I love it."  
Raven smiles. "Just some storybooks I found laying around the other day." She locks her locker and begins walking again.  
Cerise quickly skips after her. "Just some? Gurl, more like ten! And storybooks? You mean stories like- like our stories?"  
"Not really. Or... Well... That would be if their universes exists like our universe does... I honestly don't know," Raven shrugs with a smile on her face. "But it would be such an honour to meet Harvey Porter if he really exists!" She smiles wide, letting out a happy little sigh like a girl in love.  
"Oookey..." Cerise laughs softly. "What's so great with that guy then? What's his story?"  
Raven looks at her friend with big eyes, they sparkle.  
 _My, what big eyes you have_. Cerise draws back a bit.  
"I'm so thrilled that you ask!" Raven says with an excited squeal, sounding a bit like Apple.  
 _Oh Grimm, what have I unleashed now?_ Cerise tries to smile. "S-so tell me then...?"  
Raven nods eagerly, smiling. She puts her hands together and begins to tell the tale of Harvey Porter, an orphan who lives with his aunt Patience, her husband Venom and their son Dumby who are all very strange people and completely none-magical.  
"Isn't that weird, you think? This book has none-magical creatures in it. I thought there were no none-magical beings in the world."  
Cerise tugs at the inside of her cheek. "Well... It's just a book Raven, probably written for fun?"  
"Woah-woah there, Hood. Just a book?" Raven puts her hand on Cerise's shoulder, wearing a slightly offended look on Harvey Porter's behalf. "We are all books, Cerise. Nothing is written just for fun, well, if your story is written to be fun _for_ you, then it is fun - or - if you plan to write your own story." She winks at her and smiles.  
Cerise sighs and mumbles, looking down at the ground as they walk. "I just... I feel like... I'm not... They are..."  
Raven pulls her arm softly, stopping her. Cerise looks back at her with an expression full of so many emotions at once.  
"You seem to be a bit off, not just now. I mean all day, a couple of days actually. Is something wrong?"  
"Everything is normal, what are you talking about?" Cerise shrugs, trying to look innocent.  
Raven looks at her, right though her. Cerise bites her bottom lip.  
"B-busted hehe..."  
"Quite so." Raven says. "Let's go to my dorm room, so we can talk."  
"But- what about Apple?"  
"Oh don't worry about her, she's busy with ... Whatever it was she said she was going to do," Raven waves her hand in the air like it's not a big deal. "Honestly, sometimes I don't listen to half the things she says. That princess can really talk, she never stops talking!"  
Cerise laughs a little. Raven smiles.  
"So what do you say? Ready to share your troubles with your sister from another mister?"  
"Definitely," Cerise says with a nod.  
They continue to walk through the halls towards the campus.  
"Wait a spell!" Cerise looks at Raven. "If we are all books then that means that-"  
"Harvey Porter is real! Oh-OOH!" Raven squeals, fangirling very hard.  
Cerise smiles at her, shaking her head at this sudden outburst of feels that Raven has as she is jumping lightly up and down, beaming like Apple does on her birthday. People are looking at them as they pass through the courtyard, giving them weird looks and confused faces. _I bet it's the first time they see Raven this excited and happy,_ Cerise thinks and chuckles softly.  
"Then that means that Geog Weasel is real! And all the Weasels are real! And...!" Her eyes widens in shock and horror. She turns her head to look at Cerise, half squealing and half whispering. "The Dark Lord is real...!"  
"Dark Lord? Let's hope that we're all real but in different universes, alright?" Cerise quickly says and puts on a smile to calm her friend.  
Raven nods slowly. "You're right... That must be it. Good... Very good."

When in Raven's dorm room Cerise gets to sit on her bed while Raven puts all the books in her bookshelf. She hums softly on a melody, swaying her hips a little to her own beat.  
"You should enter the talent's competition," Cerise says.  
"Huh?" Raven spins around.  
"You're really good at singing."  
Raven blushes slightly. "Oh I don't know, Apple's going to enter and she would be-"  
"She would be very happy to compete with you," Cerise says, smiling. "I think you should do it."  
"Yeah maybe I will, it would be great fun. But headmaster Grimm wouldn't-"  
"Ppfft forget about Grimm, you can do what you want," Cerise smiles.  
Raven sits down beside her. "That's fairy-right, but so can you too. So what's holding you back? Oh come on Cerise, don't hide under your hood as soon as you get uncomfortable..." Raven pouts.  
"But it's safe in here..."  
Raven pouts harder. Cerise bursts out a laugh, making Raven smile. "So come on, tell me."  
"Okay. Promise you won't think differently or treat me differently after this," Cerise says, biting her bottom lip.  
"Of-course," Raven nods. "Cross my heart."  
Cerise takes a slow, deep breath. She takes the leaf-amulet hanging in the chain around her skirt and opens it, revealing a photo of her parents and herself.  
"My family is keeping a secret," she says slowly, clicking on the side of the amulet. The photo changes, transforms and in her father's place is...  
"Mr Badwolf? Your mother married the Big Bad Wolf?" Raven asks carefully.  
Cerise nods slowly, putting the amulet away. "He's really not as bad as people think, and for me he is an hexcellent father. And they are very happy together, mum and dad I mean."  
Raven places her hand on Cerise's. "You don't have to defend yourself, I understand. And it's okay, it really is." She smiles.  
Cerise shakes her head. "There's more..."  
"What?" Raven's eyes grows wider. "What is it?"  
"I am the next Big Bad Wolf..."  
Raven covers her mouth with both her hands to stop herself from screaming in hexcitement. "Ohmygord!"  
"Promise me you won't tell anyone!"  
Raven nods multiple times. "I won't say a word! But oh my Grimm! Cerise! This is beyond cool! Beyong Harvey Porter! BY ALL THE STARS!"  
Cerise presses her palm againt her lips. "SSSSHHHH!" She hisses, speaking with a low voice. "You're not supposed to know this, Raven! It is even a bigger secret than that my father IS the Bid Bad Wolf!"  
Raven relaxes. Her eyes are still big of wonder. "How long have you known?"  
"Since Monday," Cerise replies. "Doctor Charming told me."  
"He did what now?"  
"He... It's a long story. He has been studying wolves and werewolves for a really long time and there's something about a prophecy ...bla bla bla..., I don't know everything. But basically I'm the heir to something huge as the next Big Bad Wolf and the Doctor is really hexcited about it. I wish he would have told me everything, he said that it is a really long story. This is all he told me."  
Cerise exhales loudly and falls down on her back. She looks up at the ceiling, so white and wide. Like a canvas ready to become a painting. Cerise smiles as she feels the heavy pressure from the secret slowly lifting from her chest, not completely but just enough. She takes a deep breath. "Okey, you've got questions."  
"Hex yeah! Where did all this come from?"  
"Just...ask." Cerise rubs her forehead. "What do you want to know?"  
The door opens and in flows the singing voice of Apple White. She closes the door behind herself and dances in with more grace and elegance than Duchess Swan. Cerise exhales in relief. She didn't know what she would tell Raven if she dumped all her questions on her now.  
"Hey Apple, how did it go with the err- thing?" Raven says.  
Apple spins around and claps her hands together, smiling at the two. "It went royally perfect!~" she giggles sweetly. "Cerise, how's every enchanted thing?~"  
Cerise sits up, clearing her throat. "I erm- I'm good. How are you?"  
"Oh I am just fairy-well.~" Apple says with her hunnysweet voice and dances over to her side of the room. She opens the doors to her apple-shaped wardrobe and begins to search it through.  
"Soooo are you hexcited for this weekend or what?~" Apple asks them whilst being deep within her wardrobe searching for something.  
Raven and Cerise looks at each other with confused expressions.  
"No?"  
"Is it another party?" Raven crosses her arms over her chest, smiling. "I honestly didn't think that you'd be such a party-animal, Apple."  
"Ohh-hoho! This is better than a party!" Apple exclaims with eager. She crawls back out, holding a beautiful ballgown. "Aaah...!~" her eyes glimmer with happiness and excitement when she looks at her gown. She places it firmly on her bed. "Perfect.~"  
Cerise peers across the room at the dress. She can't see much of it but she can tell that it is very beautiful.  
"What's the occasion?" she asks.  
Apple takes out a bag, also shaped as an apple. "Don't you know?~" she begins packing some of her things, mostly make-up, perfume and clothes, jewellery and a hairbrush. "It's the Charming Ball!~ Have you packed yet, Raven?"  
Raven gasps and shakes her head. "Of-course! How could I forget about it!" She looks around her side of the dorm room. "Erm no, I haven't packed!" Raven rushes out of her bed and begins searching for her own bag.  
Cerise tilts her head to the side. "Charming Ball?"  
"Haven't you hear of it before?" Apple sounds surprised. She puts down all her different shades of red nail-polishes in her bag.  
"It's suppose to be the most spellbinding balls of all time, according to what I have heard." Raven says with 10 ounces of excitement in her voice.  
Cerise raises her eyebrows, not quite believing her. "I thought you weren't into balls and those princessy kind of stuff. Who told you that anyway, it could just be a total fairyfail for all that I know." she says and shrugs casually.  
"HEY!" Apple shouts across the room. She points her finger at Cerise. "THAT IS INSULTING!"  
Raven points at Apple with her thumb, whispering: "Apple told me!"  
Cerise draws back her hidden wolf-ears, blushing of embarrassment for upsetting Apple so much. "I'm sorry Apple, I didn't mean to insult you."  
"It's not me you have insulted. It's the Charming's." Apple turns her back against Cerise and Raven to continue her packing.  
Cerise swallows hard, looking at Raven for help but she has returned to her packing as-well. She stares blindly in front of her, sitting completely straight up and absolutely still. Her insides, her mind and her soul is panicking.  
 _Oh gord, now I've really screwed up. Apple probably hates me now and Raven must be fairy disappointed at me. But worse is... Daring most certainly will hate me now. Especially after how I acted towards him today. Oh my fairy godmother... Why..._  
Cerise shrinks and hangs with her head between her legs, like a dog with its tail between its legs. The thought of Daring hating her hurts more than anything she has ever felt before.  
"I should take you with me as my plus one."  
Cerise lifts her head. "What?"  
Apple still stands with her back against Cerise. "Unless Hunter's taking you. But he is not invited."  
Apple closes her bag. _Click, click._  
"So he can't take you, so you can't go." She turns around and looks straight at Cerise. "So I should take you to the Charming Ball." She smiles the smile of a beauty-talent-winner that got what she wanted, World Peace.  
"I don't understand... Why inst Hunter invited? And why- why would you take me as your plus one?" Cerise looks a bit more frightened than delighted.  
"So many questions and so little time to pack! Wait just a spell.~" Apple sings _Ha~haa~Ha~haa!_ and six little birds comes flying in through the open window. "Fly to Cerise's dorm room and bring me her bag and her clothes and make-up and everything else you need for a ball. Thank you, sweet birds!~" she waves at them and giggles happily. "Being a royal princess rocks!"  
Raven and Cerise looks at Apple with their mouths half open.  
"I wonder if I can do that. I mean, I am a princess..." Raven says softly, mostly to herself.  
Cerise shakes her head to wake herself up. "Did I just hallucinate or did you summon birds to fetch my stuff?"  
Apple giggles and walks up to Cerise. She takes her hands, pulling he up. "You big kidder, aren't you happy to be going to a royal ball?"  
"Y-yeah I guess but-"  
"Answer her questions, Apple. Before the birds come back." Raven says, closing her bag. _Click, click._  
"Oh right," Apple clears her throat. "The reason whyy he isn't invited to this ball is because, you need a special invitation, a personal invitation, given to us personally, face to face to be hexact. And some of us are allowed to take a plus one with us. Each Charming can only invite one person. Hexcept for King Charming."  
"Did Daring give you his invitation?"  
"No. I got mine from the King himself." Apple smiles.  
There's a sting in Cerise's heart. "Oh."  
"He is the only one who can give out plus one's. Remind me Raven, who invited you?"  
Raven's cheeks instantly turns pink. "Dex did."  
"Oh? I thought he would take Briar." she shrugs. "Oh well. I'm glad you're coming too, it is going to be so enchanting!~"  
Cerise watches Apple joining hands with Raven, jumping up and down and squealing of hexcitement. Cerise tilts her head slightly to the side, wondering if they do this a lot together.  
 _How did my life come to be like this?_ She sighs quietly, thinking back to how this week had started.  
She had been on her first date ever after, with Hunter Huntsman.  
It had been like a roller-coaster of emotions at first, the nervousness and hexcitement. He had taken he to the field where he practises his aim with his bow and they practised together. She had been an embarrassing terrible shooter. They had a picnic which she doesn't remember much from. Only the awkward moment when he had kissed her and she had kissed him back. But that was not the most awkward thing that she had gone through with that day.  
Not only had she become his girlfriend, she had also dumped him.  
All because of her.  
Because of what she is.  
Of what she will become.

 _ **The end is just the beginning...**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Cerise's PoV**

They arrive to the Charming's Residence, much against Cerise's will. She, Raven and Apple have all been styled for the ball by Apple's royal stylists.  
Miss White's hair has been curled and ornamented with thousands of sparkling tiny crystals. There is a soft blush on her cheeks and her lips are red red red. Around her neck hangs a thin necklace of pure gold, caressing her snow-white skin and making her glow brighter than the stars coming out on the night sky.  
Raven's hair is styled in a French hairdo from the 1700s, although not as curly and not as high as they were back then. Yet it fits her character, and it also brings out her royal grace and makes her neck look a lot longer. The earrings are feathers, picked from the Great Raven that roams the outskirts of the EnchantedForest.  
And of-course, the dresses.  
Their dresses sure lives up to both their fairytale-status. Both are dazzling and beautiful, the kind of ball gowns any princess would wish for, and specially chosen for this nights grand event.  
Apple's dress goes along with her hair as it too has thousands of tiny crystals sewed onto it, making her sparkle even more. Cerise thinks that it's honestly a bit too much of sparkle around that princess, but was kind enough to not mention it to Apple.  
Raven's dress does not sparkle, thank the Narrators. There is no need for diamonds or crystals when it comes to this girl. Her enthusiasm and hexcitement makes her glow a lot more than Apple, and not in a bad way.

Cerise is nowhere close to any hexcitement whatsoever. She never wanted to go in the first place. But Apple wouldn't take no for an answer. Not that Cerise had put up much of a fight about it. The fact that Apple had buzzed her birds to pack her things had been so random and cool that Cerise had dropped everything and well, you know, now she is here.  
Cerise lets out a heavy sigh. Who was she kidding? She wanted to go to the ball.  
No. Wait. Yes.  
She wanted to go, but not for the dancing, not for the fancy dresses and the music. She wanted to go because of a boy, the silliest reasons of all. Silly and embarrassing. So she told herself that she didn't want to go, she didn't want to see him.  
 _But I don't want to see him. Can't see him._  
Split between her feelings and thoughts, Cerise tugs at her bottom lip. What was she doing there, in that fancy carriage with Raven and Apple?  
 _Doctor Charming will be so pissed when he sees me at the ball. Unless... All I have to do is to stay as far away from Daring as possible. Yes, neither of them will know that I am here as long as I hide from them!  
_ "Hexcited much are you?" Apple raises her eyebrows at Cerise's big smile. "We are nearly there now."  
Cerise just smiles. Her plan would totally work. Daring wouldn't pay that much attention to her anyway, it wasn't as if they were really close friends or anything, and she was nowhere close to be as gorgeous as any other princess attending the ball.  
Not that she is ugly, no. Cerise feels prettier than ever before actually.  
Her hair has been curled - Raven helped her with that since Cerise wouldn't let anyone other than her do that, due to that Raven know her wolf-secret.

She also has, much to her disliking, been given help with the make-up even though she said she didn't want it. Apple had refused to listen and forced the make-up on her, and when she was finished with her work of art Cerise could barely recognize herself. And as a plus, Apple had even stated how pretty she looked.

The excite the carriage, the air chilly around them. Cerise lets her gaze wander over the enormous castle. Its beauty catches her whole being, and she stands breathless looking at it.  
Apple closes the carriage and skips over to the grand staircase. Each and every step has been decorated with light blue roses and lilies.  
Raven takes Cerise's hand and gives her a smile. "Are you ready? I sure am, I mean, I am going to dance with Dexter tonight!" She bites her lip and smiles widely in hexcitement. "I'm sure Apple won't be a bugging you once we get inside. She'll be too busy with Daring." Raven gives her best friend a supportive smile and walks up the stairs, holding up her skirt a little so she won't step on it by accident.  
Cerise lets out a sigh, her breath coming out like a fog in the chilly air.

Apple waits by the entrance, standing beside a handsome guard with perfect facial features. He scans the ticket in Apple's hand with a device similar to the one that Doctor Charming had. At blue light glows on its top. Once scanned it buzzes wildly.  
The guard bows with his head before Apple. She makes a curtsy and grabs onto Cerise's arm, dragging her past the massive doors leading into the castle. They walk through a corridor and step out on a balcony with perfect view over the entrance hall. By the staircase stands a funny looking man with a long belly. Apple whispers gives him a snow-white paper.  
The man clears his throat which makes a loud sound that echoes through the hall. All noise and all voices dies, leaving a silence of curiosity.  
"Princess Apple White, daughter of Snow White!"  
Apple makes a deep curtsy to greet the people and all the guests, gesturing with her hand to Cerise to do the same.

Cerise peers out over the ball room while down in the curtsy. More than ten grand chandeliers hangs from the ceiling, light with a thousand candles each. Small circle tables holds beautiful flower ornaments of roses, lilies and orchids. Everything goes with the theme of a soft blue to represent the royal lineage of the Charming's blur eyes and of-course, their charm.

Beside the dance floor, Cerise spots long tables with food. Meat from shark and other smaller kinds of fish as well as bird, bear and deer. Cerise takes a deep breath on instinct, her eyes glowing yellow from the sweet scent. There is meat from moose and hare as well, and it makes her shiver to her bones.  
 _Perfect.  
_ Another table holds different types of salads and smaller dishes of vegetarian food. Beside that table stands another, this one filled with cookies and cakes and other popular treats from the Charming's bakery.  
All this juice food makes Cerise drool.  
The funny little man clears his throat again, and her attention is cut of. Apple tugs at her arm.  
"We have to move on, Hood. I need to mingle with everyone before I meet my darling prince!"

Cerise swallows hard as she enters the crowd of gorgeously dressed princesses and handsome princes. Happy laughter and loud voices surrounding her as Apple begins to mingle with each and every one of the guests. Cerise feels uncomfortable, even though no-one pays her any attention.  
A sudden wave of fears and anxiety wash over her. If anyone sees her or just accidentally glances her way they will see that she shouldn't be there. She doesn't belong and will never belong there. Cerise barely breathes and she stands completely still, starring at absolutely nothing. She tugs at the front of her hood and pulls it further down over her face. Not looking at anyone, she doesn't dare to.  
The taste of blood makes her realize she's been chewing on her lip.

A man moves over and leaves a way for Cerise to escape. She catches her breath hiding behind a pillar, heart beating fast against her chest. Who knew crowds could be so terrifying?

She looks down on her dress, grabbing the skirt and clenching her fists. How is she suppose to do this?  
Stay hidden, fine. But that will be a challenge since she is the only wolf in sheep's clothing.  
The skirt is too wide due to all the too many layers of thin fabric, and with the pearls attached to it she definitely fills the role as the wolf. Cerise feels extremely awkward. Dresses is not her type of thing, at all. Especially not a dress like this, a cheaper copy of Apple's dress.  
The only good thing about the dress is that it goes along with her red cape and hood. Probably because it used to her mother's.  
Cerise tugs at her hood again, feeling grateful because it fits with her outfit. Being around so many royal people makes her more nervous than she thought it would.

The delicious scent of moose catches her attention again, and Cerise goes into hunting mode. She narrows her yellow eyes and growls deep down in her throat as she swiftly glides past a group of fancy young maidens discussing the latest news amongst the royals.  
Cerise grabs a plate and starts to fill it with all kinds of meat dishes, while catching glimpses of Raven and Apple mingling about.  
The fried chicken is an explosion of blessings and prayers being heard and answered. She chews on it slowly, loving the taste and texture it has.  
A swift change in the air makes her sharpen up.  
Cerise peers up and towards the dance floor. Her wolf ears catches the soft sound of the swaying skirt, her nose breathes in the strong smell of hairspray and aftershave.  
The orchestra starts playing, a waltz much like the one princess Aurora and prince Philip danced to after he had saved her from the dark fairy's spell.  
Cerise doesn't have to look any further to know who the dancers are. It is of-course, the fairest princess of Ever After. She has a smile ever so dazzling glued to her red lips as she moves with grace across the dance floor. The oldest prince Charming leads her through the waltz, smiling his famous and charmingly beautiful grin.

Cerise returns to focus on the food. She doesn't want to see Apple and Daring swaying about, spinning around and pretend that life is perfect.  
Well for them, maybe life is perfect.  
She fills her mouth with moose meat, drowning her jealousy with food.  
 _Wait wait. Jealous? I'm not... No!  
_ Cerise frowns at herself and turns her back at the dance floor.  
Life really isn't perfect. Not for her anyway.

Her life had been a pain starting from the moment she was born. Her parents had been the first rebels of Ever After and therefore forced to live hidden away from the rest of the society. And when they had not one but two babies, they had to keep their family a even bigger secret. As one of their little girls was born with wolf ears she was given the fairytale destiny as the next Big Bad Wolf. And Mr Badwolf was ever so proud to have a daughter to take after him. Cerise had been born with 'normal' ears, so she had been given the destiny of the little Red Riding Hood.

But it isn't Ramona that is destined to be the next Wolf. Not really.

It is Cerise.

According to the results of the DNA-test Doctor Charming took of her, Cerise is more wolf than human. When she asked about why she hadn't been born with wolf ears like her sister he had only said that he needed to make more tests and research a lot about it all. Like a lot-a lot. He had also, being the nice King Charming that he is, promised Cerise that he wouldn't spell out her family's secret. But only if she promised to stay away from his son.  
Cerise sighs with her mouth full of duck wing. It would have been so much easier to stay away from Daring if the wasn't in the same castle as him, let alone that she wanted to see him. That is bad enough.  
Well, as long as she stays hidden and out of the Charming's eye sight. She should be fine.  
The music slowly ends and the guests starts clapping their hands to the prince and the princess.  
Apple sinks down to the floor in a gracious curtsy while Daring bows before her.  
Cerise spins around just in time to see the two parting ways. Daring goes toward his brother and sister, plus Raven, who all greets him with hexcitement. Apple walks towards her.  
Cerise nearly chokes.  
"Cerise darling, didn't we dance royally well?~" Apple holds her hands together and sighs happily.  
Cerise doesn't make a sound, she only stares at Apple.  
Apple's happy face twists and turns in disgust when she sees the greasy plate and all the food stuffed in Cerise's cheeks.  
"This is a ball, a royal ball! Not some buffet!" She grabs the plate and angrily puts it away.  
Cerise scoffs and shrugs. "As if anyone would dance with me."  
Apple tilts her head, examining Cerise from hood to toe. "You are right. No-one will want to dance with you looking like that."  
"What do you mean?" Cerise frowns and glares at Apple, growling silently. "You told me I was pretty."  
"Hah, yes. _Was_." Apple laughs. "I have changed my mind now. You are not pretty, Cerise. Not while wearing that." She tugs at the red cape. "It definitely has to go."  
Cerise takes a step back, shaking her head. "Don't touch me."  
"Naaw but you always wear that cape... It is so boring and most certainly won't be asked to dance wearing it. It completely drains you, sweetie." Apple crosses her arms across her chest. "Your dress ain't no beauty either. Kind of dirty, like a rag..." She makes a grimace of distgust eying the dress.  
Cerise sighs. "This is the best I've got, Apple. I'm not- Just, stop mocking me, alright!" She tugs at the front of her hood, attempting to walk away.  
"You still shouldn't wear it. It is out of style. Drop dead ugly."  
"Drop it, Apple!"  
"Let's see if you can have a dance looking like that then."  
Cerise stops walking and turns around, meeting the spiteful smile on Apple's red lips.  
"You heard me. If you, Cerise with the ugly Hood, can have one dance with the next guy that I lay my eyes on, I won't take your cape. One single dance. Or I will personally see to it that that blanket is burned within the hour." Apple's smirk grows wider as Cerise already wears the look of defeat upon her face. She chuckles and swirls around, only to gasp loudly.  
"D-Daring!"  
Cerise's eyes widens, and her heart skips a beat. Is she going to dance with Daring Charming?  
So much for hiding and staying away, huh.  
"Hi, Apple." Daring gives her his charming smile while looking slightly confused over her strong reaction. "Everything alright?"  
"Ehum, Daring meet my...my.." she glances back at Cerise and then smiles sweetly to Daring, who is even more confused now. "Meet my _friend_." Apple tugs at Cerise's dress and gestures for her to come forth. Her sweet smile dies when Daring smiles happily in surprise.  
"It's you!" Daring smiles and squints his eyes of happiness. He takes both of Cerise's hands and softly moves his thumbs across her soft skin. "You came."  
Cerise peers down at their hands and then up at Daring. Her heart beats too fast for her own good. "Heh... Surprise?"  
She feels his hands warming up against hers, and she can smell the scent of his sweat. It gives her hormones such a rush, her whole body reacts to him like a wolf does to its prey.  
Instead of feeling shy and uncomfortable, Cerise straightens her back and smiles wide. She gives Daring's hands a squeeze and drags him with her out to the dance floor. The light shimmers in his blue blue eyes, an amused chuckle escapes his lips as she makes a curtsy before him and then takes the lead.  
Somewhere behind them, Apple gives a snort of being neglected by her prince.  
Cerise lifts up Daring's arm and swirls herself around in a circle.  
"Shouldn't I be leading you? There's no music either." He smiles at her curiously.  
"We make our own music." She smiles while humming a melody of a waltz, causing Daring to smile a lot more.

Soon both of them hums and move to the rhythm of their song. Cerise leading him like an alpha wolf leads his pack. Nothing is better than this. Racing with Carmine, howling at the moon, it all seems so little and so boring compared to this. And nothing can hold her back now. Not Doctor Charming, certainly not Apple. Not even her own fears can hold her back.  
Cerise closes her eyes, thriving in his arms. The temptation to let down her guard is so strong. She wants to show him who she really is, without the hood.  
The world around them fades away, everything ceases to exists. Except for them and their music. Cerise humming, Daring whistling.  
Their energetic dance slows down as Daring holds her closer to him. Cerise peers up at him, and he smiles down at her as he begins to take over the leading role. His hand on her back, firmly holding her close to him. Their bodies slightly touching. He gives her hand a soft squeeze.  
Cerise is breathless. She never thought it would be such a difference to be lead through a dance, than to lead one herself. She feels her heart pumping like a scared rabbit being hunted. Her confidence completely gone. What if she steps on his feet! What if her hood falls off!  
The world comes back into the light. Cerise can once again hear Apple complaining from somewhere amongst the crowd.  
Daring catches the nervous look in her eyes, and he gives her a gentle smile.  
"If you give in and let go, it will be a lot easier for you to enjoy this."  
Cerise feels her cheeks burning, and she lets her gaze down.  
Daring leans in closer to her, closer to her hood. "It doesn't matter what Apple says or does, I'm with you now." He whispers with a smile, the hints of a blush spreading over his cheeks.  
Cerise starts breathing again and she smiles, obviously blushing.  
Daring spins her around so she has her back against him, and he hold her like that, just tenderly in his arms before he whispers to her again. "It's like you did before. You just took what you wanted. Now let me take what I want."  
He spins her back into his embrace and looks into her grey eyes. Cerise meets his gaze and finds herself slowly letting go. Daring's eyes are just as deeps and the moment just as intense as it was when they met in the EnchantedForest.  
 _Oh my Grimm, I'm in love with him...  
_ The music softly starts playing, even though they barely dance now. A smile spreads across both their lips when they realize that the music that's playing is the melody they both where singing before.  
So they starts dancing again, and this time Cerise lets herself go.  
In the corner of her eye, she sees shocked guests. Some of them covers their eyes, someone calls to Daring that he should drop off the Red Riding Hood and take Apple for another dance instead. But Daring doesn't care. The lights sparkles in his eyes.  
Cerise feels her heart fluttering like a butterfly in her chest. All of her cells and her whole body and soul vibrates with glee. Soon the requests for Apple fades out as the orchestra plays stronger and with more enthusiasm.  
The wish and need to be seen is no longer there. Daring already sees her.

"STOP!"

The music stops playing abruptly. Guests gasps over the sudden interruption.  
Daring slowly lets go of Cerise and turns around to face his father, who approaches them. His ears are glowing red and his lips pressed together to a firm line. Daring stands tall, ready for what's to come.  
But it's not Daring he stops in front of.  
"You!" The King says behind gritted teeth, pointing at Cerise. "You were suppose to stay away! You too, son. What ever after are you thinking?!"  
Daring blinks. He was not prepared for _this_.  
"Doctor Charming-"  
"I am not a doctor now, miss Hood. I am King Charming and that is how you should address me. How did you even get in here?" He gives her a glare and looks at Daring, frowning. "You told me she didn't accept the invitation. Or was that just a lie?"  
Cerise peers up at Daring beside her. Had he tried to ask her to the ball? She looks at the king. "Daring didn't invite me, Doc- I mean King Charming. Apple did, I-I'm here as her plus-one. But I swear, I didn't want to come. Honestly. I don't want to be here any more than you want to have me here!"  
Daring frowns and steps forward, in between Cerise and his father.  
Everyone in the crowd is quietly watching them.  
"Cerise is a guest, just like everyone else here. I have the right to dance with who ever I want."

King Charming shakes his head. "Not tonight. Not. With. Her!"  
Cerise bites her bottom lip. The tension between the two Charming's is so strong that she could touch it. The before so romantic and full of magic-atmosphere is now rock hard embarrassing.  
She catches a glimpse of Raven and Dexter. Both of them looks so baffled by what's going on she thinks that their friendships might be at its end.  
"That's not how it works, not tonight," King Charming says with a low voice to Daring. "Tonight is about much more. You know that more than anyone. At least you should."  
Daring doesn't make a move. His stretches his neck, looking down at his father.  
The King takes a step forward and places his hand on Daring's shoulder, and whispers silently: "Must I remind you that it is Apple White's hand you are to ask for in marriage tonight?"  
Cerise lets out a silent gasp as her wolf ears caught up what was being said.  
Her heart wraps itself in barbed wire. She bites her tongue hard to stop herself from hyperventilating.  
This was never the Charming's Ball from the first place. Couldn't have been. Isn't.  
It is Daring's-  
His and Apple's...  
Cerise clenches her fists, digging her sharp nails into her palms. How could she had let herself be so close to Daring, for just one moment? And to think that... Think what, exactly? That she had a chance? Daring doesn't even feel the same. He couldn't be, not with the reputation he has - Daring Charming who flirts with everyone and everything that moves.  
Cerise shuts her eyes, embarrassed and ashamed of herself.  
Her right ear twitches. There is a whisper amongst the crowd. A whisper about her.

 _Miss Hood is in love with the Prince._

 _What a fool! Who could ever love her, a dirty clout._

Cerise's cheeks burn with red. Behind her, someone giggles lightly.  
Apple White. She knew.  
Cerise had never told anyone about her crush, her feelings for Daring. Yet somehow, Apple knew.  
Cerise straightens her neck and steps forward before the King. He looks down at her, disappointment showing in his eyes. Cerise wonders if he can hear what the whispers are saying, and she prays to the Gods that he doesn't.  
"King Charming, it's..." She begins but stops. She doesn't know what to say.  
 _It's unfair...  
_ "It was my idea, your royal highness."  
The sugar sweet voice sends cold shivers down her spine. Behind her is Apple, who glides past her with elegance and makes a deep curtsy before the King. He looks at her with much interest.  
"Cerise told me that her only wish was to attend a ball and to dance with a prince," Apple beings and Cerise almost gags. "I felt so sorry for her, for you all know that she will never do something as wonderful as this." Apple's sweet and innocent voice makes Cerise dizzy.  
She clenches her fists together, her knuckles whitens. She knew Apple to be a great liar but to lie in front of the King...! That is a whole different page.  
Apple holds her hands together and sadly pouts with her red lips.

Cerise starts to sweat of frustration. The dress slowly becoming drenched against her skin.  
Hopefully Doctor Charming will see past Apple's lies. He has to see that she is lying.  
"I only meant well, your highness. I mean, look at her-" Apple glances over at Cerise and the looks up at King Charming with plead in her eyes. "She is so different, an outcast amongst the other poor civil peasants in our great kingdom. Neither of us can imagine what a life like that is like. I only did what my royal heart told me to do," Apple closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before continuing her little story. " _Help the poor girl make her one dream come true_. But, if I had known that Cerise Hood wasn't welcome," Apple says pointing back to Cerise. "I would never had let her come as my plus-one."  
Cerise gasps and stares at her. "That's rubbish!"

Apple makes another curtsy, ignoring Cerise, and keeps her head down. "I would never do anything to embarrass you our your royal court, my King. I am most sorry."  
Cerise's heart beats hard against her chest. She stares at Apple, at the King and at the guests that now claps their hands to Apple's speech.  
"But it's not true, it's lies. She-she is lying!" Cerise breathlessly cries out.  
No-one listens to her. Why would they? She is only a poor peasant.  
Cerise looks at the people surrounding them. How can they possible believe in what Apple just said? They all glare at her in disgust, as if she really was a dirty clout. A rag. She meets Raven's gaze and to her relief she doesn't clap her hands to salute Apple.  
Cerise raises her eyebrows at her. Will she not do anything? Say something perhaps? As the obvious girlfriend to Dexter Charming, her voice should count.  
Raven who said she would always be there for Cerise, that she got her back. Cerise's best friend ever after, who know about her biggest secret, will she not saying anything at all? 

Raven turns away, her arms around herself as if she needed comfort and protection right now. There is a sting in Cerise's heart, worse than a sting. As if someone forced its hand inside her chest and smashed her heart into jelly.

So much for trust and friendship.

Apple is up on her feet again, and she continues to plead sweetly to the King. As if she hadn't done too much already. She looks up at him with tears in her eyes, and she knows that she looks like a saint.  
"Please spare her, my King. She didn't know any better than to dance with Daring."  
The King glances at Cerise, and she just now realizes she could be imprisoned because of this. She swallows hard and glances at Daring. He just stares out into the distance, not even blinking.  
King Charming sighs. "Guards..." He snaps with his fingers and two guards instantly materializes beside them. "Escort Miss Cerise Hood home."

 _ **The end is just the beginning...**_


	14. Chapter 14

Narrators' PoV

Female narrator: "Since the ball the students at Ever After High has been working very hard with the theatre project that headmaster Grimm gave them."  
Male narrator: "Yes, he is quite hexcited about Legacy Day. He is preparing his students in the most...ehum...hextraordinary ways."  
Female narrator: "And what's wrong with that?"  
Male narrator: "Nothing. Just. Why can't he just wait until Legacy Day?"  
Female narrator: "After Legacy Day the students will begin their work to become the best version of their fairytales. This is just something he makes them do for fun, to hexcite them."  
Brooke: "Okay, but, can we please talk a little about the ball? What happened hexactly?"  
Female narrator: "Well, as much as it pains me to say it... Apple tricked Cerise."  
Brooke, frowning: "Why would she do that? Isn't she suppose to be the loveliest princess ever after?"  
Male narrator: "Even the loveliest can do evil things, Brooke. She was jealous."  
Brooke: "What? Why?"  
Male narrator: "Because Daring-"  
Female narrator, interrupting: "What happened between Daring and Cerise is a misunderstanding. Nothing even happened between them. Apple and Daring are engaged now and that is how it is suppose to be."  
Brooke and the Male narrator looks confused.  
Brooke, surprised: "You guys didn't let me see their engagement?!"  
Male narrator, hushing Brooke and looking at his wife: "Are you sure there's nothing, because you sound a bit stressed out about that?"  
Female narrator, ignoring the question and clapping her hands together: "Well now the time is here for them to preform before the whole school and Ever After. Here Brooke, now you know who's who. So let the play... _begin_!"

Actor's Sheet  
 _Apple White_ as _Snow White_  
 _Raven Queen_ as _Evil Queen_  
 _Daring Charming_ as _Prince Charming_  
 _Briar Beauty_ as _Sleeping Beauty_  
 _Faybelle Thorn_ as _Dark Fairy_  
 _Dexter Charming_ as _Prince Charming_  
 _Cerise Hood_ as _Little Red Riding Hood_  
 _Hunter Huntsman_ as _Huntsman_  
 _Ramona Wolf_ as _Big Bad Wolf_  
 _Baba Yaga_ as _Grandmother_  
 _First Pig_ as _First Pig_  
 _Second Pig_ as _Second Pig_  
 _Third Pig_ as _Third Pig_  
 _Ramona Wolf_ as _Big Bad Wolf_  
 _Holly O'Hair_ as _Rapunzle_  
 _Raven Queen_ as _Mother Gothel_  
 _Herbert Rider_ as _Flynn Rider/Eugine Flitzherbert_  
 _Blondie Lockes_ as _Goldielockes_

...

Brooke: "That's quite a list. I don't think I need to read it all."  
Female narrator: "Then let the play BEGIN!"

Cerise's PoV  
The Great Hall is filled with teachers, students and parents from almost every fairytale there is. The stage is in darkness, the curtains are closed. Cerise sits on the fourth row beside Ramona and Hunter.  
Cerise bounces her feet up and down on the floor, re-thinking and over-thinking everything that has happened since she started high school.  
How can everyone act as if nothing has happened? It is a relief for her though because everyone would surely bully the pages out of her book if they knew what had happened at the Charming's Ball.  
But so much has changed. Raven isn't talking to her anymore. Hunter still does though, which is kind of nice. And she has Ramona too, but it's harder to talk with her now. All because of the wolf-thing.  
But not all things have turned to the bad. One thing that surprised Cerise a lot is that Daring talks to her a lot more now. Even though he is engaged to Apple now - crazy, right? - he makes time for Cerise, the clout from the ball. She doesn't know why though but it makes her heart flutter so she hasn't been bothered to find out what his reasons are.

The lights turns on and the stage is bright. A figure comes forth, headmaster Grimm. He clears its throat before he speaks.  
"Welcome students and parents of Ever After! It is with a proud heart I present to you, outlet school play ' _The Play That Almost Was, And Then Wasn't! But Then Was!'_ "  
A round of applause is given. Headmaster Grimm smiles wide and happily.  
"First out we have a most hexquisite version of the story of our beloved Queen - _Snow White_!"  
The crowd gives headmaster Grimm an finishing applaud as he walks off the stage, and a welcoming applaud as the curtains slowly opens.  
Hunter leans over to Cerise and whispers: "This is so hexciting!"  
Cerise nods, putting her finger upon her lips to tell Hunter to be quiet.

The Play: Snow White  
 _Evil (Raven) Queen stands before a large mirror. She's wearing the most evilest and most enchanting dress together with the evil crown from her dorm room. She spreads her arms wide in front of the mirror and begins to speak, with a low and powerful voice._  
" Mirror, mirror... On the wall... Who is the fairest of them all? "  
 _Evil (Raven) Queen slowly turns around, facing the audience. Her arms are still spread wide, her eyes a closed and chin slightly pointing upwards. Her figure is bathing in the light from the lamps, she is ready to receive the mirror's respond._  
" My Queen, you are fair but your heart is not so bright. Fairest of them all, is Snow White. "  
 _Evil (Raven) Queen opens her eyes. They are black with anger and hate. She lowers her arms, pointing at to her right._  
" I will have her killed! "  
 _The stage goes black and when it is light and bright again you can see a tiny cottage and you can hear a lovely singing voice. The Great Hall is also being filled with the sweet scent of newly baked buns._  
 _Snow (Apple) White walks out from the cottage, carrying a plate with buns on it. She's wearing the ugliest clothes Ever After High has ever seen, but she is still the fairest of them all. Her hair more golden than Goldielockes', her_ _skin more pale than the actual Snow White's and her lips more red than blood._  
 _As she puts down the plate, an old lady comes forth on the stage. The old lady's clothes are all in black and she wears the ugliest hood ever after._  
" Oh good heavens! Let me help you! "  
 _Snow (Apple) White runs over to support the old lady and soon she has been given a seat outside the cottage._  
" How kind you are, my child. " _croaks the old lady_. " Your husband must be very very happy to have you. "  
 _Snow (Apple) White blushes and giggles softly._  
" I have no husband. "  
" Then, you must take this! "  
 _The old lady takes out an enchanting large red apple, so full of fruit. Snow (Apple) White gasps when she sees it and her mouth begins to water._  
" This is a magical apple, my child. One bite and all your wishes will come true! "  
 _The old lady holds out the apple in front of the girl, who eagerly takes it._  
" Yes yeees... Be a good girl, eat the apple... "  
 _Snow (Apple) White takes the apple closer to her mouth, the old lady constantly watching her very closely._  
 _Snow (Apple) White digs her white teeth in the apple and takes a bite from it. As she chews on it her eyes sparkle. After she swallows it, her eyes closed and she falls down to the floor with a thud._  
 **The crowd gasps.**  
 _The old lady begins to laugh an evil laugh and she walks away, leaving Snow (Apple) White._  
 _The stage goes black again and when it turns back to brightness you see Snow (Apple) White's body laying down in a coffin on a table. Soon you hear the tune of a melody being whistled._  
 **Down amongst the crowd, Cerise gasps. She knows that melody! It's the melody of the song she and Daring danced to at the ball.**  
 _As the whistling gets louder, a young prince enters the stage. On his blond head is a crown and in his belt is a mirror._  
" I wonder what that coffin is doing here! "  
 _Prince (Daring) Charming walks over to the table, most cheerfully, and gasps as he stops and sees the fairest girl inside the coffin._  
" She is the fairest damsel I have seen! And even though she is dead... I cannot resist! I must do it! "  
 _Prince (Daring) Charming leans down in the coffin. A loud MWA! is heard all over the Great Hall._  
 **Somewhere down amongst the crowd, Cerise excuses herself, leaving the Great Hall, followed by the whispering voice of Hunter: "Cerise! Where are you going?"**  
 _When Prince (Daring) Charming steps back and claps his hands together in a my-work-is-done-here-way the fairest girl in the coffin sits up._  
" Do not go, my charming prince! "  
 _Prince (Daring) Charming turns around and walks over to Snow (Apple) White. He takes her hands in his._  
" My fair damsel, how can you be alive? "  
" Your kiss, my charming prince, it saved my life! I was tricked and fooled by an old lady, an evil witch! "  
" Then you must come with me. You will be my bride, I will make you my Queen and I shall slay that hag- uh- that witch, who did this to you! "  
" Oh, my charming prince, how romantic and brave of you! "  
 _Prince (Daring) Charming lifts up Snow (Apple) White and carries her away from the stage._  
 _The stage goes black. The play Snow White is over._

Narrator's PoV

Male narrator: "Do you see now? Raven did have nothing to worry about, just like Madeline said all those chapters ago!"  
Female narrator, grumpily: "Milton Grimm is still a very strict man. He could have threatened her to preform so well! Or...!"  
Female narrator gasps and laughs happily, clapping her hands: "Or maybe she really does want to be evil!"  
Brooke: "Hey what have you said about spoilers! We're not even at Legacy Day yet!"  
Female narrator, cheerfully: "Oh, sorry!"  
Female narrator, a bit more strict: "How can you know if it's a spoiler or not? And what was that about Legacy Day?"  
Brooke, rolling her eyes at her mother: "Hellooo. Daughter of the Narrators. It's kind of my thing." 

_**The end is just the beginning...**_


	15. Chapter 15

Raven's PoV  
"Well done everyone, very well played!" Lady Marion says when they return backstage.  
Raven takes off the evil crown off her head, shaking her head a little bit so her long hair falls into place again. Apple giggles beside her, still wearing her dirty rags and still looking fairest.  
"Can we do it again? Oh can we, can weee?" Apple pleads.  
"Sorry ms White, just one go per play," Lady Marion says with a smile.  
"Yeah and one time is enough, but, it was fun!" Raven admits, laughing.  
Daring laughs his charming laugh, takes off his shirt and presses it against his face to dry the sweat away. "It was a blast!"  
Apple giggles, clapping her hands together applauding. "It totally was! And Raveeen!~" she dances around Raven, placing her hands on her boulders. "You were spellbinding! I can't wait for the real thing now - when you will poison me for real!"  
Apple continues her dance, dancing over to Daring. She strokes his back and is arms, his chest and grabs his hips, pulling him to her.  
"I can't wait for our real thing either, Daring Charming," she looks into his blue eyes and smiles. "And I totally forgive you for dancing with Cerise at the ball. I mean everything is royally perfect again, now that we are engaged.~"  
Daring smiles too and chuckles nervously. "Was I that good up there?"  
"Mhm!~" Apple beams of happiness and slightly pouts with her lips, standing on her toes. "Give me a real kiss, Daring.~"  
Daring swallows hard before giving her a tiny kiss on her lips.  
Raven sighs and rolls her eyes at them.  
"Now now, Apple and Daring! S-separate yourselvs!" Lady Marion claps her hands together two times and the two lovebirds magically moves three feet away from each other.  
"Come on Apple, let's get something to drink," Raven takes Apple's hand and walks away.  
Apple giggles as they hear Daring letting out a loud sigh of relief.

Cerise's PoV  
The sun is already set, leaving Ever After a chilly evening. Cerise is walking alone in the Courtyard, slowly pacing around the different bushes and figure trees portraying the main characters from different fairytales. She walks pass the tree cut like Snow White, the current Queen of Ever After and co-ruler of the whole Magical World. Her pose is of grace and of beauty, or as Blondie would say: not too much this, not too much that but just right. As her ...former best friend forever after would say: too royally perfect.  
Cerise sighs, looking away from the Queen-tree. She wonders if there is a tree cut like her mother, or perhaps her father, but she doubts it.  
Her eyes falls on a wooden bench. She sits down with another sigh. She cover her face in her hands, mumbling to herself.  
 _What's wrong with me?_  
She lets we hands drop to her knees, looking up to the sky which goes darker and darker by the second. Here and there stars comes out, shining brightly. She inhales deeply, filling her lounges with as much air as they can hold.  
"WHAT. IS. WRONG. WITH. ME!?" Cerise screams out, loud and hard.  
When she is done she exhales loudly and shrinks down a couple of centimetres. She knows exactly what's wrong with her.  
Looking to the grassy ground, her eyes falls onto a pair of brown shoes. She tilts her head to the side, thinking for a second.  
"Cerise?"  
She suddenly jumps high up into the air, landing on her feet in a very uncomfortable pose.  
"Hunter! Heeey! I-I didn't see you there... Haha..." she laughs nervously.  
"Is everything...okay?" Hunter looks at her, there's both worry and confusion in his eyes.  
Cerise sighs, scratching he arm. "Yeah no... I am feeling much better now, shall we go inside?.." She laughs that nervous laugh again and fires off an uncomfortable smile.  
Hunter smiles back, but an genuine and caring smile. He takes her hand and sits down on the bench, patting beside him for her to sit down. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
Cerise knew it wasn't an actual question because she had to talk about it, even though she really did not want to. She sits down with a thud beside him. He gives a caring smile.  
"I guess..." Cerise begins, biting on the inside of her cheek. "I'm just really ...I've felt strange since school started and..." Se lets out a sigh. "And I... I'm nervous about the play." she bites her bottom lip and pulls her hood further more over her face. It wasn't what she needed to talk about but she didn't want to talk about the ball with him. Or the wolf thing for that matter.  
"Me too," Hunter's smile grows wider. "But you know what they say-"  
Cerise peers at him from under her hood. "What... do they say?" she whispers.  
"It doesn't have to be perfect, as long as you do your best."  
Cerise raises an eyebrow, crossing her arms across her chest. "Really? Who says that?"  
"Me, I say that," Hunter smiles. He slowly reaches out his hand to stroke her cheek gently. Cerise feels her cheeks fluster with warmth.  
"Ready to go back?" He smiles and takes her hand.

The air is chillier and colder now and it is almost completely dark. Cerise bites her bottom lip to keep herself from shuttering with her teeth. She's usually not one of those who gets cold easily but this evening is colder than the others has been. She sighs in relief when the warmth from the school halls embraces her.  
"All students, teachers and parents to the Great Hall! Our next Fairytale-Play is about to start!" a message echoes from the magical speakers in the hallways.  
"Sounds like we better make a run for it," Hunter says. "Do you feel like running?"  
"Oh yeah," Cerise smiles. "Always."

 _ **The end is just the beginning...**_


	16. Chapter 16

Cerise's PoV  
When they enter the Great Hall the play _Sleeping_ _Beauty_ has already started. Hunter puts his finger to his lips, making a quiet hush. Cerise gets down on all fours and begins to crawl back to their seats with Hunter crawling behind her.  
"Cerise, why art thou crawling?" Daring whispers as she passes his seat.  
Cerise stops and peers back at him. He raises his eyebrows and smiles, watching her curiously. Her heart starts to beat faster and slower at the same time as he smiles at her. She forces herself to turn back and continue to crawl.  
Two more rows left.  
She hasn't seen Daring since the ball and seeing him like this, smiling and looking so curiously at her in the dark makes her heart tingle.  
She inhales slowly, taking deep breaths to calm her raising and hexcited heart.  
"Cerise!" Daring whispers again.  
Hunter looks back at Daring over his shoulder, then at Cerise.  
"Keep going!" he whispers.  
Cerise turns around, crawling past Hunter.  
"Cerise! Where are you- nevermind!"  
"Ssshh!" Someone in the seat next to Hunter gives him an angry look.  
"Sorry.."  
Cerise stops beside Daring's seat, peering up at him. "What?" She whispers, poking his knee.  
Daring smiles when he sees her. "What are you crawling for?"  
She points towards the row where hers and Hunter's seats are.  
"Aha. Why can't you just walk?"  
"Because of the play," she whispers.  
Daring looks at the stage. Cerise looks at it too. Briar and Dexter are talking, as Aurora and Prince Philip. It's the scene where they meet in the forest and dance and sing together.  
Daring leans down towards Cerise. "Soo... How've you been?"  
She slowly takes her gaze from the play, looking up at Daring. "Oh you know.. A bit of this and that." She whispers and blushes. "And you?"  
"Bit of the same, but..." He looks around, as if to see if someone is close by and he's about to share a secret. Cerise wonders if anyone can hear them even though they are whispering.  
"The timing is really bad. Do you want to get out of here?"  
"You what?" Cerise looks at Daring with big eyes.  
Daring leans down closer to her. Cerise's cheeks fluster with red.  
"I said. Do. You. Want. To. Get. Out. Of. Here?" He whispers as clearly as he possibly can.  
"Hex yeah!" She whispers back, nodding.  
Daring swiftly gets off his chair and onto his all fours on the floor. Cerise must bite her tongue to prevent herself from laughing. Although it was swiftly done, Daring looked hilarious doing it.  
Apple quickly turned her head and looked at them. Her eye wide in horror.  
"Daring! Whatever after do you think you are doing?!" She whispers angry, but as silent as she can.  
Daring ignores Apple and waves to Cerise with his hand for her to start crawling, and that fast! Cerise hears Apple whispering Daring's name in agony as they quickly crawl towards the door.

The air of the night is freezing but Cerise is not. She remembered to take the extra sweater from her locker, which she's now wearing.  
They sit on the big stone stairs at the entrance of Ever After High. It's cold against their bums but it's an okay cold, a refreshing kind of cold. Cerise lets out a sigh, bright fog streaming out from her mouth. She smiles at it and exhales again, pretending to be a dragon. In the corner of her eye she sees Daring's legs thumping up and down. He has his head in his palms, his crown on end.  
"You alright there, mister?" Cerise raises an eyebrow, peering at him.  
Daring looks right at her, his legs completely still for once. "Can we go for a walk?"  
"Sure," Cerise stands and brushes off her skirt before skipping down the stairs.  
She turns around and looks up at Daring. "Where to?"  
Their eyes meet. His endlessly blue, hers slate grey. They share a smile that softly spreads wider as they continue to look at each other. Cerise laughs softly.  
"Well...? Where do you want to go?"  
Daring slowly takes off his crown. He looks at it for a moment, thinking about something. Cerise tilts her head to the side.  
"I think I know," he says, standing up. "Come on."  
Daring quickly runs down the stairs and grabs her by the hand, leading her away from the school grounds.  
The night air is cold against her face, the wind quietly blows in her ears as they walk faster and faster. Daring seems to be in a hurry, he is quick on his feet and takes large steps as he strides forward. Cerise looks back over her shoulder as the school begins to fade away behind them.  
"Daring, were are we going?" she asks slowly. "It's the Little Red Riding Hood next, I don't think headmaster Grimm will be very happy if I miss it..."  
"Just a little further." Daring pulls her closer and holds her hand firmer so he won't accidentally let go of her.  
Cerise bites her bottom lip. They walk in under the secret passage to the Enchanted Forest. The darkness thickens under the trees and bushes, almost blinding them. Thanks to her wolf-genes Cerise can still see everything clearly and her hearing is hexquisitely good.  
"Wait!" She pulls Daring back.  
"What is it?" Daring looks around, squinting his eyes to see through the darkness. He chuckles a little. "Cerise, are you afraid of the dark?"  
"No, I just..." She looks around quickly, listening for something. "I thought I heard something."  
"Alright," Darings grip around her hand softly tightens. Cerise blushes lightly. "It was probably just a mouse, or a bat, or something else. Let's keep moving."  
The darkness lightens up a bit when they enter the Enchanted Forest, thanks to the moonlight and the twinkling stars in the night-sky. Cerise loves to be here during the night, especially with Carmine. She used to go for midnight-races almost every night with her dire-wolf pup, until school started. Come to think of it, she hasn't been on a race with Carmine since...  
 _Since I ran into Daring_.  
Daring continues to lead the way through the forest. Under fallen trees, over huge grass covered stones, he doesn't seem to want to stop walking. He is sure of where he is going. Cerise tries to figure out where he is taking her. She knows this forest like the back of her hand, yet she can't figure it out. The road he takes them on is too wibbly-wobbly for her to see where they possibly might end up.  
A sweet scent floats in the air, one only Cerise can smell. Her grip around Daring's hand tightens. She holds her breath.  
"Daring..."  
"Nearly there now," he replies. "I thought you weren't scared?"  
Cerise shakes her head. "It's not that, it's-"  
"Ha-ha!" Daring exclaims happily. He points to a group of raspberry bushes. "There it is!~"  
Cerise tilts her head to the side, watching Daring as he skips over to the bushes. _Has he gone mad?_ She recalls their first encounter in this forest. How strange he had been, how different. Almost...  
 _Almost like a commoner, like myself_.  
And what had he said to her, that the Enchanted Forest had some kind of... effect on him?  
"Come here, there's something I want to show you," Daring waves at her to come over.  
Cerise sits down on her knees next to him. He points at a small baby tree.  
"I planted this, at the beginning of the school year."  
"Really?" She peers up at him curiously. "Why?"  
"Well since I am going to become the 'new king' of Ever After..." he sighs. "I just wanted to make an impact on the world without the feeling of that I'm just doing what everybody else is telling me to do. You know?"  
Cerise raises an eyebrow at him.  
Daring sighs again. "I want to be able to do what _I_ want to do, not because I _have_ to or _must,_ just because it's _my_ _destiny_."  
"Are you serious right now?" She asks, standing up. "Because... I kinda know what that feels like..."  
"You can't tell anyone I told you that. It's top-top secret."  
"I won't tell," Cerise says. "But why are you telling me this?"  
Daring stands up and looks at her. He takes her hands and looks into her eyes.  
"Cerise, at the ball... I..." he begins, speaking softly.  
Cerise's heart starts to beat faster, and slower at the same time. Her cheeks fluster with a warm shade of pink.  
Daring smiles his most genuine and caring smile. "I'm telling you because I-"  
A loud shriek echoes through the forest. Cerise quickly turns around, meeting a screaming Apple White. Her face is steaming red with anger and her voice is croaking of agony.  
"CERISE YOU TRAITOROUS BITCH! IVE HAD IT WITH YOU!"  
Cerise pulls her hands from Daring's as if she got burned. She looks at Daring, then at Apple.  
"Nothing happened! We did nothing!"  
Apple stomps with her feet in the most unroyally way. "Oh shut up, slut!"  
Cerise's eyes turns yellow. She growls angrily, placing herself in position to attack.  
Daring steps in front of Cerise, holding out his arm to block her from going forward. "What is the matter with you Apple?! Stop attacking her like that!"  
"Oh, what's the matter with me?! Huh!" Apple scoffs. "Don't you know your place, Daring Charming?" She shrieks most angrily, her voice cracking.  
"When the next Queen of Ever After sees someone else," she walks around them, as if she owns the whole Enchanted Forest, her voice much more confident and powerful now. "someone less fortunate and less _important_ , look at and talk to her future husband and King like _that_ , she does what she has to do!" She stops in front of Daring, looking at Cerise. Her eyes are half closed and full of ugly feelings and hatred.  
Apple snaps with her fingers. Two dwarf-bodyguards appears behind her.  
"Apple... What are you doing?" Daring says angrily behind gritted teeth.  
Apple turns her back against Daring. "Take her and lock her away. I'm not hexactly a dog-person."  
Cerise gasps. _What?!_  
"Say that again, I dare you!" Cerise growls angrily.  
"Apple what the hex!?" Daring turns to Cerise, taking her hands again. He looks at her. Her eyes are still yellow, but now a dirty shade of yellow. She looks furious but also scared and vulnerable.  
Cerise looks into Daring's deep blue eyes. They're full of sorrow and anger.  
"I can't let you do this," he says and turns around. "You're overreacting, Apple. Nothing happened."  
Apple scoffs. "Nothing? Oh, please." She puts her hands on her hips, sighing. "You know, _Daring_ , it would be so much more fun if you would co-operate. But I guess I'll have to do it the easy way."  
She closes her eyes and stretches out her fingers towards the ground. A dark purple smoke surrounds her, covers her and swirls around. Cerise covers her eyes with her arms. Daring stares.  
Before them stands no longer Apple, but the Evil Queen.

Male narrator: "B-but-but that can't be right!"  
Female narrator, turning the pages in the book: "Uuuuh...!?"  
Male narrator: "How did she get out?"  
Evil Queen: "Surprise!~"

"No..." Cerise says, completely breathless.  
Daring grabs for his sword but it's not in his belt! He groans inwardly and grabs Cerise's hand, backing them both away from the Evil Queen.  
"You can't be here. They locked you away!"  
"How sweet... and pathetic you are." She sighs rather happily. "Yes I was locked away, hidden in the shadows... inside the MirrorNet. Too bad they've got the wrong one then." She chuckles evilly. "It takes a lot more than that to defeat me." The Evil Queen smirks.  
"What do you want?" Cerise manages to sound brave even though her voice is shaky.  
"What I want?" The Evil Queen chuckles. "To become the fairest Queen of-course!~"  
She suddenly stands right next to Daring, stroking his cheek.  
"Don't touch him!" Cerise growls loudly, attempting to give her a smack on her face.  
The Evil Queen grabs her wrist and twists it. Cerise shrieks and howls in pain, dropping down to the ground. Daring quickly sits down with her and holds her broken wrist carefully.  
The Evil Queen sighs.  
"Haven't you understood anything? I touch Daring whenever, _wherever_ I want to," She grabs Daring's chin with her thumb, pulling his face and whole body close to herself.  
"After-all, he is my fiancé.~"  
Cerise looks up at the Evil Queen and Daring just as she transforms back into Apple White again. Daring has lost all his colour, he is completely speechless and powerless.  
"Let me tell you a story," Apple drops Daring who falls to the ground with a thud.  
Cerise puts her hand on his shoulder, carefully shaking him.  
"Once upon a time there were two girls who were the bestest of friends forever after. Both of them were Royal, equally as much and they were loved by everyone in the kingdom. Until one day when one of the girls decided she wanted to have all the love for herself, so she began a foul rumour about her bestest friend forever after. Soon the people started to look down at the other girl and they called her names.  
When the two girls were old enough to be crowned queen, one was crowned White for she was as pure and good a the almighty Narrator's Light. One was crowned Evil for she was as dark and envious as the Hexmaster.  
The White Queen broke the friendship with the Evil Queen and when she had a baby she imprisoned the Evil Queen inside the MirrorNet, to hide her away from the world and from herself.  
Because you see, the White Queen could not live with what she had done to her friend and whenever she saw her she was reminded of what she had created. But she didn't know that the Evil Queen had been with child too and that she had had a daughter on her own.  
The Evil Queen was brilliant, for she knew that the White Queen would take her away. So she switched place with the newborn baby, took the place as the new princess of Ever After while she, _the little Apple_ , was sent to grow up inside the MirrorNet."  
Apple claps her hands together, smiling the most fairest of smiles. "So you see the story ended- ehum- _began_ most happily for the Evil Queen," she nods multiple times. "But she ain't happy yet and her Happily Ever After is far from close." Apple shakes her head. "You two ruin my happily ever after, especially you Cerise."  
She walks over to Cerise and bends down before her. "Keep your dirty paws off from my boyfriend." Apple grabs her left wrist and breaks it with another simple twist, just like she did with the right one.  
Cerise shrieks loudly of pain again and bites her bottom lip hard. Tears springs out in her eyes. "I'm going to tell on you..."  
"Ssh-ssh, don't be a baby." Apple puts a finger to her lips, smiling. "You're not going to say a single word. And neither are you, mr Charming." She walks over to Daring.  
He peers up at her most unwillingly.  
Cerise tries to stand up. Her wrists are aching and her heart is on the end of being shattered into pieces.  
"G-Get away from him..."  
Apple sits down in front of him and strokes his cheek. She runs her fingers through his blond hair. "He loves you, you know. That's why you've always dreamt about him and why he is always so different when he's with you." Apple looks at Cerise. "There's really no point in looking so alarmed, wolf girl, I see the way you two look at each other, the way he talks to you in school. Not to mention that ugly dance of yours," she scoffs in disgust.  
"It is even more obvious than Hunter's pointless crush on you." She turns back to look into Daring's eyes. "Everything is going to change now."  
Cerise is finally up on her feet and she sprints forward to Apple. With a loud grunt she kicks her head with her right foot, kicking her off to the ground.  
Apple fires off a purple bolt of energy, knocking down Cerise.  
"Oh please," she scoffs as she sits up. "Don't make me break your legs too."  
"Wh-why are you doing this?" Cerise whispers angrily from where she lays on the ground, unable to sit up. "What did I ever do to you?"  
Apple looks down at her. "You are in the way of my happily ever after, bitch. Daring Charming was promised to Apple and as far as I can see you look nothing like her." She fires off a fake smile, patting Cerise on the cheek. "And since I'm the only Apple White there is, it means that he is promised to me. Now," she points with her finger at Cerise's lips. "Talk no more until you're locked up."  
Cerise opens her mouth to interrupt but there's no sound coming from her. She spreads her eyes wide in horror. Her voice is gone!  
Apple pulls up Daring to his feet and snaps with her fingers. He blinks a couple of times and shakes his head, as if he just woke up from a dream.  
"Apple..."  
Apple smiles sweetly to him. "Hi, Daring.~"  
"What happened? Did I fall asleep?" Daring scratches his head, looking around. "Where are we?"  
"You walked in your sleep," Apple giggles. "I spoke to headmaster Grimm and he agreed on that we would wait with the rest of the Storybook-Plays until I come back with you."  
Daring smiles. "How sweet of you, Apple. Thank you."  
Apple takes his arm and stands on her toes, planting a kiss on his lips. "Am I the best fiancé forever after or am I the best fiancé forever after?~"  
Daring kisses her back. "The best fiancé forever after."  
They begin to walk away from the Enchanted Forest, leaving Cerise behind.  
No-one hears her scream or cry from pain and loss and anger.  
No-one sees her being carried away by the dwarf-bodyguards.  
Only the forest knows. And the forest is left in Apple's and Daring's joyous laughter.

Evil Queen: "And so, I get what I've always wanted. And neither of you two will spell it out!"  
Male and female narrator: "Y-yes, Your Highness..."

 _ **The end is just the beginning...**_


	17. Chapter 17

Brooke, scoffs: "What? Is this how it ends, really? ...Guys?"


End file.
